In the film, 50 First Dates, Drew Barrymore plays a woman who, due to an accident, forgets the events of each day when she wakes up the next. Hers is a terrible disability and not one I would ever wish for. But recently I’ve been thinking of the positive aspect of her misfortune: that every day is a new experience, completely unencumbered by the events of the preceding day. There is also no worry about tomorrow since the cares of today will be by then forgotten.
Isn’t this what Jesus called us to do when He said we must become like little children if we would enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matt. 18:3)? I remember summer vacations from elementary school while I was growing up. Every day was new and completely unencumbered by thoughts of what I had to do tomorrow or how many days until school started. Every day was like that. There was no thought of tomorrow or even of yesterday. Sure, if my parents had a vacation planned or a visit to Grandma and Grandpa, that’s what we did. But the planning belonged to my parents: I just got up in the morning and discovered, often moment by moment, what wonderful things the day had in store for me.
I think God is trying to get me back into that state, that state of wonderful expectation. He certainly makes sure that each day goes completely differently than I had expected (or, more often, than I had worried). As day after day unfolds in a very different way than I had expected, I’m beginning to lose faith in plans. Is that really so terrible?
I wonder what my dad has in mind for today?
