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What Have We Done Today
What have we done today? It is a simple question, but one that can make us stop and think about how we are using the time we have been given. In this thought-provoking poem, Nixon Waterman reminds us that good intentions for tomorrow cannot replace the actions we take today.
It is easy to look back and wish we had done something differently. It is just as easy to look ahead and talk about what we plan to do someday. We may intend to help someone, offer encouragement, work toward a goal, or make a change in our lives. But Waterman's words challenge us to move beyond intentions and ask what we are actually doing right now.
The poem reminds us that progress begins with action. If we want a different tomorrow, we must plant something worthwhile today. A kind word, a helping hand, a step toward a goal, or an act of faith may seem small, but each can become part of something much greater.
One of the most meaningful thoughts in the poem is found in these lines: "We shall reap such joys in the by and by, But what have we sown today?" They remind us that what we hope to receive tomorrow is often connected to what we are willing to do today.
Rather than waiting for the perfect time or wishing circumstances were different, we can begin where we are. So, as you read Nixon Waterman's words, consider the question he asks us all: What have we done today?
Updated September 18, 2026, by Catherine Pulsifer.
What Have We Done Today?
Poet: Nixon Waterman
We shall do so much in the years to come,
But what have we done today?
We shall give our gold in a princely sum,
But what did we give today?
We shall lift the heart, and dry the tear,
We shall plant a hope in the place of fear,
We shall speak the words of love and cheer,
But what did we speak today?
We shall be so kind in the afterwhile,
But what have we been today?
We shall bring to each lonely life a smile,
But what have we brought today?
We shall give to truth a grander birth,
And to steadfast faith a deeper worth,
We shall feed the hungering souls of earth,
But whom have we fed today?
We shall reap such joys in the by and by,
But what have we sown today?
We shall build us mansions in the sky,
But what have we built today?
’Tis sweet in idle dreams to bask,
But here and now do we do our task?
Yes, this is the thing our souls must ask,
"What have we done today?"
Key Reflections In This Poem
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Today Is Where Action Begins
Good intentions for the future have little value if we never act on them. Waterman reminds us that today gives us the opportunity to begin doing the things we say are important.
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Small Acts Of Kindness Matter
We do not have to accomplish something great to make today worthwhile. Encouraging someone, offering help, or bringing a smile to another person can make a meaningful difference.
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What We Sow Today Shapes Tomorrow
The choices and actions we make today can influence what comes later. If we hope for a better tomorrow, we need to begin planting something worthwhile now.
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Dreams Need Action
Dreaming about what we hope to accomplish can inspire us, but dreams alone do not create change. Progress comes when we turn our hopes and plans into purposeful action.
Popular Pages
Continue reflecting on the value of today with these poems and quotes about new beginnings, purposeful living, and making each day count.
Begin again with A New Day Poem, an encouraging reminder that each morning gives us another opportunity to move forward.
Reflect on what gives our days meaning with A Life Well Lived, a page that encourages us to consider how we spend the time we are given.
Focus on the choices you can make right now with Just For Today, an encouraging reminder to take life one day at a time.
Find encouragement to concentrate on the present with these Just For Today Quotes about making the most of the day before you.
Conclusion
Nixon Waterman's poem leaves us with a question worth asking at the end of every day. We may have many plans for tomorrow, but today is the time we have to offer kindness, encourage someone, work toward a goal, and do something that makes a difference.
We do not need to change everything in one day. We simply need to take the next worthwhile step. May this poem remind you that what you sow today can help shape the days ahead, and that even a small act of goodness can make today a day well spent.
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