A young man was taking a bicycle trip through country that was beautiful and historically interesting. Here were old homes of great beauty. Here were old battlefields, with monuments and markers. Here were old trees, smooth, green lawns, lovely homes, and beds of flowers. He was thoroughly enjoying the ride, when suddenly he noticed dark clouds overhead. Soon rain began to fall. Yet ahead of him he could see bright sunshine on the roadway.

Standing erect, he began to pedal as hard as he could, hoping to reach the sunshine. But the storm moved as fast as he did, with that ever-tantalizing sunshine always remaining ahead of him. The perspiration streamed down his face, and he was panting with exertion, but still he could not gain on that brilliant good weather moving on before him.

Finally he stopped and thought the matter over. He was breathless, and he was already soaked, so he might just as well slow down and take his time. As it was, he was rushing pell-mell and unseeing past things that he had traveled many miles to enjoy, while the sunshine remained out of reach.

At times during our lives we are all like that young man. A small child, watching the older children going to school, can hardly wait until he is old enough to go too. He can hardly enjoy his carefree childhood for reaching after the school life of the older boys and girls. Boys and girls in school, instead of enjoying the companionship and the fun of learning, eagerly look forward to summertime and vacation, only to find that they miss what they have during the school year, and they can hardly wait for September to roll around again! Youth in college can hardly wait until they may exchange their school years for a job earning their own living. Later they realize that they have rushed right by some of the pleasantest years of their life.

No matter what our situation we always seem to be looking to the future. Tomorrow we will do our good deeds. Tomorrow we will turn over that new leaf. Tomorrow we will begin to work harder. Tomorrow we will start our day with a few moments spent with God. But that tomorrow never seems to come, and we rush right past the opportunities and happiness of the present hour.

If only we could learn, as many do not until it is too late, that life is given to us to be used now. That life is an uncertain thing that can be taken away at any time, and that right now is the only time we have for certain. Then perhaps we could learn to enjoy and use today's advantages instead of chasing sunbeams we can never catch.