No matter what your age is, you only have now. So it's always

In the grand sweep of time, there exists a truth that has echoed through the ages, passed from the lips of sages, heroes, and poets alike: the only moment that truly belongs to us is the present. Christie Brinkley, with wisdom born of experience, expresses this truth with clarity when she declares, "No matter what your age is, you only have now. So it's always about living in the moment and being in the moment... I refuse to let those numbers define me, and I just try to face each day positively." These words speak to the very core of human existence—the power of the present and the courage to embrace each day, regardless of the passage of time.

The ancients were keenly aware of the fleeting nature of time. In the works of Seneca, the Roman Stoic philosopher, we find a powerful reflection on the ephemeral nature of life. He admonishes, "We are more often frightened than hurt; and we suffer more in imagination than in reality." Just as Seneca urged his followers to embrace each day with purpose, to live as though each moment was sacred, so does Brinkley’s declaration remind us of the value of the present. The ancient wisdom of living fully in the now is a truth as relevant today as it was millennia ago. Time may pass, but the power to act, to feel, to live, and to experience remains in the hands of those who choose to seize the moment.

Consider the story of Alexander the Great, whose life, though short, was marked by extraordinary conquests and adventures. While many admired his ambition and vision, it was his ability to live with intensity, to make each moment count, that set him apart. Alexander, though faced with the brevity of life, did not wait for the future to unfold; he acted decisively, seizing the now with the force of his spirit. Much like Brinkley, he refused to be bound by the constraints of time. In his mind, it was not the years that mattered, but the actions taken in the time given. His was a life defined not by the ticking of the clock, but by the boldness with which he faced each day.

The wisdom of Christie Brinkley's words resonates in the present moment, reminding us that age—whether it is young or old—does not define us unless we let it. The challenge is not to ignore the passage of time, but to refuse to be bound by the numbers that measure it. The power lies in the choices we make in the here and now. Brinkley’s refusal to allow the calendar to dictate her identity reflects a timeless lesson: that growth and joy come not from the years we accumulate, but from how we choose to live each day. It is not the future that will shape us, but the action we take in the present.

Let us look at the life of Mahatma Gandhi, whose struggle for independence was not measured in years, but in the choices he made each day. Despite his age and the countless struggles he faced, Gandhi’s spirit remained vibrant and unbroken, for he knew that true power lay in living with purpose in each moment. His strength came not from the accumulation of time, but from his resolve to act positively and mindfully in the present. Like Gandhi, we too are called to reject the notion that age or time limits our capacity to live with passion and positivity. Every day is an opportunity to act, to make choices that reflect the values we hold dear.

The lesson of Christie Brinkley’s quote is one that can transform our outlook on life: age is not a prison but a freedom. It is the freedom to act in each moment, to be fully engaged with the life we are living, no matter the years that have passed. We are not slaves to time, but masters of our moment. The present is the only place where we truly live, and it is in this space that we can choose to thrive, to grow, to love, and to be the best version of ourselves.

Thus, we are called to live boldly in the now. Just as Brinkley and the great figures of history have shown, it is not time that defines us, but the choices we make in each moment. Let us embrace the freedom that comes with each new day. Let us not wait for the future to dictate who we are, but let us actively shape it through the way we live today. To live fully is to embrace the present with all its possibilities, to rise above the weight of time, and to face each day with a positive spirit. In doing so, we honor the wisdom of the ancients and the enduring truth that we are, each of us, defined not by the years behind us, but by the way we choose to live in the now.