Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is God's gift

The words of Joan Rivers, spoken with both humor and wisdom, echo a truth older than time itself: “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is God’s gift, that’s why we call it the present.” Beneath her wit lies a philosophy both profound and eternal — a call to awaken from the illusion of regret and fear, and to stand rooted in the miracle of now. This saying, though often repeated in many forms, captures the divine paradox of life: that the past is unchangeable, the future unknowable, and only the present moment is truly ours — a sacred offering placed gently in our hands by God Himself.

The origin of this saying is attributed to Rivers, though its spirit has been echoed by philosophers, poets, and saints throughout the ages. It embodies a timeless insight found in both Eastern and Western wisdom. The ancient Stoics urged the practice of living in the moment, while Zen masters spoke of the present as the only true reality. Rivers, through her modern voice, distilled these truths into a form that resonates with ordinary hearts — reminding us, with both laughter and grace, that life’s beauty is not hidden in the past or waiting in the future, but blooming in the eternal now.

At its heart, this quote is about gratitude and awareness. “Yesterday is history” — a recognition that the past, with all its triumphs and wounds, cannot be relived. Its lessons remain, but its time is gone. “Tomorrow is a mystery” — for the future is a veil yet to be lifted, and all our plans are but whispers in the wind. But “today,” the present moment, is holy ground. It is the breath in our lungs, the light on our skin, the pulse of life itself. To treat it as a gift is to honor the divine artist who fashioned it, and to live each day as if it were the first and last dawn we will ever see.

History gives us countless souls who understood this truth only after walking through the shadow of loss. Consider Anne Frank, whose words from her hiding place during the Holocaust shine like a lamp in darkness: “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” Despite the uncertainty of her fate, she found meaning in each day, cherishing small joys even in the midst of terror. Her courage revealed that to live fully in the present, even when tomorrow is uncertain, is an act of defiance against despair — and an affirmation of faith in life’s sanctity.

There is deep emotion in this teaching, for it confronts both nostalgia and anxiety — the twin thieves of joy. Many live shackled to yesterday, their hearts heavy with regret for what cannot be undone. Others live imprisoned by tomorrow, their peace shattered by what might never come. But the soul that learns to live in the present moment becomes free. Such a person lives with gratitude for each breath, each word of kindness, each sunrise. In this way, the present becomes a temple, a space where heaven and earth meet in quiet harmony.

The lesson here is as simple as it is profound: to live is to be awake. Do not dwell in the ruins of the past, nor chase the mirage of the future. Each day is a divine invitation — a chance to love, to forgive, to learn, to begin again. When you open your eyes in the morning, whisper thanks; when you rest at night, reflect with peace. The practice of gratitude transforms ordinary existence into sacred living. For when you recognize each moment as a gift, you cease to merely survive — you begin to live with purpose, joy, and reverence.

Practically, one might embrace this truth through mindfulness — by slowing down and truly seeing the world around you. Put aside the endless rush of ambition and pause to listen to the wind, the laughter of children, or the beating of your own heart. Let forgiveness release the burdens of yesterday, and let faith calm the uncertainties of tomorrow. Above all, honor the divine in each breath — for the present moment, fleeting as it is, holds eternity within it.

Thus, the words of Joan Rivers endure not only as humor but as holy truth: “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is God’s gift, that’s why we call it the present.” Let them remind you to cherish each sunrise as a blessing, each hour as a sacred trust. For life, like a delicate flame, cannot be stored for later — it must be lived here, now, in gratitude and awe. And when one learns to live in this spirit, even the simplest day becomes radiant with the touch of the divine.