potent-infinity

When I was 17 I can remember a friend and I discussing a decision making method based on the consideration of what the "25 year old Andrew" would appreciate most. To do this simply invent another character in your mind and sit down to have a little discussion over whatever it is you are about to do.

Quite often I can remember deciding not to 'cross that line' because I didn't want to let the 25 year old Andrew down. For me this was a powerful understanding ~ some whacky form of future self respect.

I was considering today that this is something I no longer do. I just celebrated my 28th birthday, I think I am still in denail and consider myself 22 and as such never felt the need to update my future self from 25 year old Andrew.

Then I started to think what would it look like if I considered my wife of 2007. What could I do to make her proud of the 28 year old Andrew. What would it look like to consider the Purcell family of 2010. To spend just a little time this day to do something the Purcell's of 2010 would look back on and say "Thanks Dad".

What about my Church or my community, if I start to consider (to have vision for) the future and do one action today to make that one step closer to a reality. This broader scale gets harder to write about....

So I'll start with Andrew:
Today I could go for a run.
Already the Andrew of tomorrow would appreciate that and feel healthy and energized.
Today I could do ALL my outstanding chores and procrastinated tasks.
Imagine how thankful the Andrew of tomorrow would be.

Then today I could do some dishes or help with some laundry, hmm now I know this investment repeated would reap life happiness beyond my imagination - I can not think of a greater blessing than a happy family that this would help bring.

I have started to realise that selfishness so often is acts which care only for you NOW. Acts in consideration of the future you are rarely as selfish.

So today I chose to consider the me of tomorrow, my family of tomorrow, my community of tomorrow… let the impact be potent and infinite.