The Present

Be Here!  Now!

This morning I went to get my Mocha latte at McDonald’s (with half syrup and skim milk-yes!  Just like Starbucks only cheaper!)  As I walked over, I began thinking my thoughts of gratitude.  I feel so grateful for my healthy body, in fact I talk to it, “Thank you body, for being strong and taking me well into old age, (I was thanking her in advance) thanks for helping me get to my warm McD’s Coffee.  Thanks for my voice which gives me so much joy when I share my tunes, thanks for my fingers which help me strum my guitar”…you catch my drift.  It was like a gratitude meditation.  I like to express my gratefulness not only for what I have, but for what is still un-manifested as I feel it, somehow, all unfolding.

 

   Coffee now in hand…I headed home, noticing all the beautiful flowers…and then I did it.  I thought thoughts outside the moment. I started thinking how quickly time passes and about how soon summer will be over…my life will be o- STOP.  I saw myself projecting into the future, living a future sadness that was non-existent in this moment.  I MADE MYSELF sad in a perfectly beautiful moment?!

    Have you ever done this?  Of course!  We ALL have.  We think of events in the future or the past, and as we do this, we are completely missing out on living in this moment. If you ask me, that is more sad than anything!

    I’ve been observing that every time we talk about that relationship…the one that made us feel bad…it’s like we relive it, over and over.  I’ll start telling my story of adversity, heartbreak…abandonment, whatever- and suddenly those feelings come flooding back to me and it’s as if I’m re-experiencing them all over.

   Why do we do this??  Why?

Why do we purposely tell stories of hard times…and completely eradicate the present moment.  We can’t talk about the present because we are busy LIVING it and I’m thinking, I want to do a whole lot more of this!

      Perhaps talking about our problems has become a way of connecting. Well, I’ve decided, I’m going to talk about my solutions!  I‘ve begun paying attention to this;  I prefer not to talk about someone…but rather, what I learned from that person about myself.  What has this person taught me? YES, even our enemies are our teachers!  They teach us clarity, about how we prefer to be treated. They teach us about our own strength and resilience.  And hopefully, we move forward with new layers of understanding and wisdom.  My last relationship taught me a great deal about myself -how I need to take my time, and really get to know someone, rather than sharing intimacy with a projected fantasy. 

      So I challenge us, a simple challenge. Just to notice how we FEEL every time we begin telling a story, past or future.  If it feels ‘not great’…then why not change it?

            It’s not only OK to feel good and happy…We are all here to live our best life!  And our best life involves, living in the moment. Let’s Be here! Now!  Be a receiver of the PRESENT, as much as possible.  That’s my goal.  (o:

   Xxoo   Sharron