Post from Ellen

Sorry this is late!

The most important idea I took away from "The Precious Present" is that we are solely in charge of our own happiness. While the old man could have just told the boy the exact meaning of the precious present, the boy was able to make that discovery for himself, empowering his own happiness and his own present. The story encourages us to take control of and remain active in the present. We can learn from he past and have hopes for the future, but it all boils down to what we do at this moment that truly shapes who we are.