"All you have is today."

Use this forum to discuss the May 2018 Book of the Month, "The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid" by Gary Robinson
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drunyan
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Re: "All you have is today."

Post by drunyan »

kfwilson6 wrote: 09 May 2018, 20:43 "Yesterday is just a memory and tomorrow is not guaranteed, " Duke told Gary.

Do you think Duke was true to living by this sentiment?
Do you live by this or are you too stuck in the past or too worried about the future?
I think it is hard to let go of the past, when it has made a person what s/he is today. You cannot deny things happened to you, but you can try to live a lifestyle that helps you forget. Even then your past is affecting your present.

Yesterday may be a memory for me, but that memory has grown up and changed - my little children have grown up, and now have children of their own.

At the same time, tomorrow is not guarranteed. I learned this earlier this year when I was diagnosed with cancer. It is hard to be worried about the future when you are deep in dealing with today.

Living one day at a time is all we can do. Nothing can change that.
I am back! 4 months after radiation treatments and still cancer-free!
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Nikki Dewing
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Post by Nikki Dewing »

I did not read this book, so I cannot answer your first question.
But as to the statement made by Duke ... I have to agree. The past is gone. You can't have it back. Although the past is part of who we are, it should not be where we live. The future on the other hand, is not ours yet. We have to plan of course, but again, we cannot live there. For myself, I am trying to make the present count, because tomorrow it will be part of the past.
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Post by kelvinmwaniki17 »

I think what the quote is trying to say is that you should only focus on the present and try to live your life to the fullest.
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Post by dbulkley »

It’s hard to not be stuck in the past sometimes. It takes a lot to change as a person and to look forward to the future.
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Post by Waragu Samuel »

I am worried to say that this statement have some truth in it. The lives currently being led by so many people is 'non existence one'. They know not how to make today and now count. Regrets of yesterday keep haunting them everywhere while the unseen future worries gives them a restless life. Let us live today.
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Post by Adediran Israel »

I think Duke is trying to do things at the possible time knowing tomorrow is not a certain date for anybody. Duke thought we all have today and tomorrow we may be no more.
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Post by Ahlily »

I think Duke is trying to live by the "All you have is today" motto because, from what I understand, circus life is uncertain. Also, as a sword-swallower, one mistake could potentially kill him, or at least put him out of business, so living in the moment becomes beneficial.

Honestly, I try to live in the moment and not dwell in the past or stress about the future, but I often find myself failing at both. I do have bad anxiety and I like to have everything laid out and planned, which often prevents me from enjoying the now. I have been working on living in the now and have been succeeding when it matters and I have found that my anxiety has been improving.

I do believe that in some instances, you do need focus on the future to make sure that you're set for the long wrong. Other than that, I do believe that everyone should do their best to enjoy the present and live it fully.
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Post by Abigail R »

While I admire this way of viewing life, I am much too worried all the time to make it my own reality!
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Post by asere_maryanne »

I think Duke's carefree lifestyle suggests that he lived only in the present. He lived like every hour was his last.
I am personally a future-worrier, everything I do, I try not to make a mess of the future.
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Post by samiam013 »

Yes, Duke entirely lives by the belief that you live for today. Personally, I live by the phrase "one day at a time" so, I would say that I do try and live by this belief as well. That is not implying that I can do this one hundred percent of the time. Of course, we are only human, and the past will always creep in once in a while. As for thinking about the future? I believe that we only have today, so anything we do today will influence the future. In my life, I refuse to dwell on the past and most definitely try my best to live one day at a time which will change my future as the days go by.
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Post by Shilpa Paul »

I don't believe when people say they don't care about their past. It sure does lingers with you through out your life in the form of good or bad memory, learning, remorse or revolts. Duke reflects upon his learnings from his own past and tries to help Gary to overcome his mistakes and move on in life.
I am a very practical person, I cherish good memories, learn from mistakes of past, plan for my future and live my present to the fullest.
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Post by Sharill Rasowo »

I do not think he himself succeeded but he tried to impart these values in Gary. However, he was very good at living life to the fullest and in the present.
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Post by Surabhi Rani »

'All you have is today', could be one of the greatest secrets that 'success' or the 'taste of accomplishments' in life, reveals to us! It encourages us towards the efforts made by us for achieving our goals and fills us with true purposefulness. However achieving such a spontaneous state of being amidst all the turmoil of life is yet another question. I think that this philosophical thought could be the product of Duke's job of swallowing swords by risking his life every time! He had a chance to know life from close quarters!
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Post by Kishor Rao »

Duke has learned and experienced many things in life and its one of the very principles he is supposed to live by given his dangerous profession. I, on the other hand, cling to the past a little more than I want myself to.
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Post by Radiant3 »

I think Duke tried to live just for the moment because it made living in the present more bearable for him. He missed circus life and the friends he had there. If he dwelled on the past he would not be able to function in the present. He knew he was getting older and looked at the future with some trepidation. So for him to live happily, he had to live in the present.
Also, that always seemed to be his way, even when he was part of the circus, living for the moment.
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