Keeping up with Yesterday ?

James Myers in "A Treasury of Military Humor" (The Lincoln-HerndonPress, Inc., 1990), tells an all-too-true story which comes from theAmerican Civil War. General Stonewall Jackson recruited a man namedMiles, who had a reputation as a superb bridge builder. Becausebridges were needed to be built or rebuilt quickly, Miles became avaluable asset to the army.One day, retreating Union troops set fire to a bridge and Jacksoncalled upon Miles to get his men ready to prepare a foundation for anew bridge. He told him that the engineers would have plans ready inrecord time.The next day, Jackson called for Miles and asked him if the engineershad given him their plans yet. "General," Miles drawled, "we done gotthe foundation built but I cain't tell ya whether them pictures isdone or not."There is a time for careful planning, it's true. But there is also atime for quick and decisive action. Miles seemed to know that theurgency of the situation required him to just do what needed to bedone.Our greatest obstacle to "doing what needs to be done" is not carefulplanning. Though many of us have admirable plans and worthyresolutions, we often simply never get around to doing what we havedetermined to do! We procrastinate. And unfortunately, we often missan opportunity to do something decisive today, for as Don Marquis hassaid, "Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday."Or maybe you have been thinking that you would like to procrastinateless, but just haven't gotten around to it yet. If so, perhaps thesewords will help: He was going to be all that a mortal could be...tomorrow. None should be stronger or braver than he...tomorrow. A friend who was troubled and weary he knew, Who'd be glad of a lift and who needed it, too, On him he would call to see what he could do...tomorrow. Each morning he'd stack up the letters he'd write...tomorrow. And he thought of the friends he would fill with delight...tomorrow. It was too bad indeed; he was busy each day, And hadn't a minute to stop on his way; "More time I'll give to others," he'd say..."tomorrow." The greatest of workers this man would have been...tomorrow. The world would have known him, had he ever seen...tomorrow. But the fact is he died, and faded from view, And all that he left here when living was through Was a mountain of things he intended to do...tomorrow.