We all have our baggage, worries, anxiety, disappointment. Similarly, a man who was a simple man initially but became an extraordinary person with the realization of 21 words. He organized the state of the art, one of the best hospitals in the world John Hopkins School of Medicine, became Regius Professor of Medicine at Oxford, knighted by the King of England. Most of us know the famous commencement address by Steve Jobs given at Stanford University. However, the man we will be talking about Sir William Osier who gave a speech at Yale University more than 100 years ago. In the year 1871, he mesmerized the graduating students with his simple philosophy of living. The speech is expressed in a concise manner below:
- Try to live like Daytight Compartments
Sir William Osier went on a sea voyage to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a big Ocean Liner. On the bridge, there are button and presto that could shut-off the machinery from various parts of the ship. It could also shut-off into water tight compartment. Then he addressed the student that they are more than an Ocean Liner into their long voyage of life. They have to know the bulkheads and switches of their life. One switch would close the past and the other would seal tomorrow. Today is the only day. It is the present and the very day that counts. Baggage of past and thinking of future make the life load heavy and full of friction. He then revealed 21 words that changed his life, ” Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance but to do what lies clearly at hand”. In Mr. Ozier’s words, ” Touch a button and hear at every level of your life, the iron doors shutting down the yesterdays. Touch another and shut off with a metal curtain, the Future, the unborn tomorrow.” The motto of the story is try our best with all your intelligence and enthusiasm on doing today’s work superbly and that is the best way to prepare for the future.
2. A Prayer to the Almighty
Sir William Osier mentioned a prayer according to prophet Isa (SAW), “Give us this day our daily bread”. It clearly states the choice of daily bread, not the previous day’s stale bread nor the future’s bread. It does not think of a drought that had taken place in the past nor the bread of Autumn. Our life has to be driven by such motto, “Take today as the only day that can make a difference.” Tomorrow will take care of itself if you do things rightly today.
Hope we can make the best use of “Today” and get rid of past as well as do not become over conscious about tomorrow. Live simply, live for today. The rest is up-to Almighty. Good Riddance.
Cited from “ How to stop worrying and start living?” by the great Dale Carnegie.
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