Farmer’s Field: Someday is Today

Just like that, another year has passed and another has taken its place. For many of us, the new year brings a time of reflection and a sense of renewal in the hope for new and better things to come.  

As I reflect on the past year and look forward to 2024, I consider myself immensely blessed for a lot of reasons. One of those incredible blessings is being married to an amazing human being. My wife always carries an inspiring positive attitude and outlook with her wherever she goes, under most every circumstance.  

Today, as part of the morning routine, I let our two dogs out of their kennels. Like clockwork, they both ran to my wife for some love, tails wagging, as they stood up on their rear legs, clearly loving the attention she gave them.  

As she greets them, she exclaims, “Good morning! It’s a brand-new day! Yay!”  

I’ve heard her say it so many times, but today it struck me as profound. It is a new year.  Today is a brand-new day. It’s a time for new beginnings despite what we have going on in our lives, and no matter what has happened in our past. For this, we can be most grateful.  

I don’t think it’s a mere coincidence later in the morning, for the first time, I listened to Country Music Star Tanya Tucker sing a song she co-wrote, “Bring My Flowers Now.” 

There is so much power in the words, I felt it fitting and necessary to share them with all of you.

Bring my flowers now, while I’m livin’.

I won’t need your love when I’m gone.

Don’t spend time, tears or money on my old breathless body,

if your heart is in them flowers, bring ‘em on.

All the miles cast a long shadow.

I’d take a couple back if I could.

I’d have learned to play guitar,

told my daddy more I loved him,

but I believe, for the most part, I done good.

There’s always sunrise and rainbows and babies

and the little things I cherish on my way. 

Even though one day

they’ll bury me and Jesse Ray,

I just know we’re gonna ride again someday.

Bring my flowers now, while I’m livin’.

I won’t need your love when I’m gone.

Don’t spend time, tears or money on my old breathless body,

well, if your heart is in them flowers, bring ‘em on”

The days are long but the years are lightning.

They’re bright and they will never strike again.

I wish I’d been a better friend, a better daughter to my mother,

there’s no goin’ back when your back’s against the wind.

So if you got love, then you’re sittin’ on a gold mine,

and you can’t take it with you when you go.

So don’t wait to help your sister,

forgive your brother and your neighbor,

we all think we got the time until we don’t.

Bring my flowers now, while I’m livin’.

I won’t need your love when I’m gone.

Don’t spend time, tears or money on my old breathless body,

if your heart is in them flowers, bring ‘em on.

If your heart is in them flowers, bring ‘em on.

I encourage readers to download this song, pause their life for five minutes, sit quietly in reflection and listen to it. 

It sums it all up perfectly. It’s a true reflection of striving to live without regrets. We are all guilty of forgetting to live while we’re alive. 

The way we make a living becomes our life and creates our identity. It can turn us into someone we are not. The emergencies of the moment, the busyness of our lives and the challenges we face with people and situations often hide themselves in a cloak of deception causing us to forget about what’s truly important. 

Someday we’ll tell that special someone what a gift they are to us. Someday, we’ll slow down so we can enjoy our life better. Someday, I’ll be home for supper so we can have more family time. Someday. Someday we’ll make those changes. Someday.

Someday is today. Here and now. It’s a brand-new day. 

It’s time to let the past stay in the past where it belongs. It’s time to forgive those who have wronged us so we can finally move on. It’s time to let go of the anger and fear from circumstances that have engulfed our minds and our lives for too long. 

It’s time to finally act on the habits we know we need to change. It’s time to clear the obstacles preventing us from becoming who we want to be and what we ultimately want to do.

It’s time to face each new day with optimism. It’s time to focus every day on the things we are grateful for. It’s time to face every situation with boldness and confidence. It’s time to be a shining light, exuding strength and courage, as an example to others. It’s time to seize the moment.  

Don’t wait. It’s time to bring them flowers now.