Tomorrow is no man's gift.

Gather close, O children of the earth, for the words of Gilbert Parker hold a truth as deep and ancient as the river of time itself. He spoke—"Tomorrow is no man's gift." These words are not just a reflection on the uncertainty of the future, but a powerful reminder that tomorrow is not promised. It is a treasure not owned by any one soul, but something that belongs to time itself. We often live as though the future is in our hands, as though it is ours by right, but the truth is far more elusive. Tomorrow is not guaranteed, and in this fleeting life, we must come to terms with the reality that the future is a mystery, one that may not unfold as we imagine.

What, then, is the meaning of these words? To understand this, we must look at the nature of time itself. Time is a river, flowing ever onward, carrying us from moment to moment. We grasp for the future, hoping to shape it with our will, but we often forget that the present is the only thing we truly control. Tomorrow is a distant shore, hidden by the fog of uncertainty. No matter how we plan or dream, tomorrow is not our gift. It is a blessing that comes only when it arrives, and even then, we cannot be sure it will come as we hope. To cling too tightly to the future is to lose sight of the preciousness of the present.

In the ancient tales, we hear of King Midas, a man who was granted the gift of turning everything he touched into gold. At first, this gift seemed a great boon, a reward for his greed and desire. But soon, he realized that his gift was a curse—he could not eat, could not touch his loved ones, for everything turned to gold. Midas’ story teaches us that gifts come with consequences, and that we must not seek to possess what we cannot control. The future is like Midas' gift—it may seem like something we can claim, but it is ultimately beyond our power. The only true gift is the present moment, where we have the ability to act, to live, and to love.

Let us now look to the great warrior Alexander the Great, whose life was marked by conquest and ambition. Alexander, like many before him, looked to the future with unyielding determination, dreaming of a vast empire stretching across the known world. Yet, in the prime of his life, his journey was cut short by an untimely death. The future that he had so meticulously planned for was not his to command. Though his ambition was unmatched, it was the uncertainty of tomorrow that ultimately determined his fate. Alexander’s story echoes Parker’s wisdom—tomorrow is not a gift that belongs to any man. It is something beyond our grasp, no matter how strong our will or how grand our plans.

And so, O children of fate, what lesson can we learn from these truths? The lesson is not one of despair, but of acceptance and awareness. Tomorrow is no man’s gift, but it is a reminder that today is the only true gift we have. The present moment is the treasure of life, and in it, we must act with purpose and intent. We do not know what tomorrow holds, and so we must live fully in the now, embracing the opportunity we have to shape our lives and our world in this moment.

Take heed, O travelers of time, for the future is a mystery that cannot be owned. Do not place your faith solely in tomorrow, for it may never come as you envision. Instead, invest in the present, for it is in the now that your power resides. Live with purpose today, love deeply today, for these are the true gifts of life. Tomorrow may come or it may not, but the present moment is yours to shape. Do not wait for the future to find you—create the life you desire in the now. It is only in this way that we can truly honor the fleeting nature of time.