Today

Rav Mendel Futofast once asked at a frabragen what is the most important point of a person's life.  After the answers were collected, he banged on the table and said, the answer is now! Right now, the most important moment is the present and what one does with it.
The haftorah this week is the beginning of Ch. 2 in Sefer Melachim.  It starts וַיִּקְרְב֥וּ יְמֵֽי־דָוִ֖ד לָמ֑וּת וַיְצַ֛ו אֶת־שְׁלֹמֹ֥ה בְנ֖וֹ לֵאמֹֽר׃ אָנֹכִ֣י הֹלֵ֔ךְ בְּדֶ֖רֶךְ כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְחָזַקְתָּ֖ וְהָיִ֥יתָֽ לְאִֽישׁ.  What does it mean that Dovid told this to Shlomo לאמר, who is Shlomo supposed to tell this to, its a message for himself?  the Alshich explains that Dovid told Shlomo to constantly tell himself אָנֹכִ֣י הֹלֵ֔ךְ בְּדֶ֖רֶךְ כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ.  To remind himself that he is constantly coming closer to his final day and there is no time to waste.
The possuk at the beginning of this week's parsha says וַיְהִ֤י יְמֵי־יַֽעֲקֹב֙ שְׁנֵ֣י חַיָּ֔יו שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֔ים וְאַרְבָּעִ֥ים וּמְאַ֖ת שָׁנָֽה.  Why does it say וַיְהִ֤י יְמֵי־יַֽעֲקֹב֙ שְׁנֵ֣י חַיָּ֔יו, just say ויהי חיי יעקב, why the double terminology of  יְמֵי־יַֽעֲקֹב֙ שְׁנֵ֣י חַיָּ֔יו?    In Sefer Likuttim from Arizal it explains that the years of Yaakov were considered days.  He didn't view a year as a year, rather as a unit of 354 days in which each day is important and one must accomplish in it.
The possuk (48:20) says יְבָ֨רֲכֵ֜ם בַּיּ֣וֹם הַהוּא֘ לֵאמוֹר֒ בְּךָ֗ יְבָרֵ֤ךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יְשִֽׂמְךָ֣ אלקים כְּאֶפְרַ֖יִם וְכִמְנַשֶּׁ֑ה וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֶת־אֶפְרַ֖יִם לִפְנֵ֥י מְנַשֶּֽׁה.  Why does the possuk say בַּיּ֣וֹם הַהוּא֘, obviously it was that day?  The Teferes Shmuel (Alexander) says the beracha was בַּיּ֣וֹם הַהוּא֘ לֵאמוֹר֒.  If Epraim and Menashe will constantly tell themselves that today may be our final day.  If they act in such a manner, then Klal Yisroel will wish their children to follow that path and bless their children to be like them.  It is the appreciation that every day, every minute is important that would be Yaakov's inheritance to his grandchildren. (See Emrei Kodesh(Alexander)[thanks to my friend Z.K. for the m.m.])