I said to a friend of mine several years ago, “You are so busy planning the future that you are missing today!” I wish I could recall the circumstances of that conversation, but I vividly remember that comment.
As I was writing this I just got a call from my grandson. Everything stops when his name pops up on my phone. Being in the mindset of writing this, it occurred to me that children are always in the moment. He was telling me everything he was thinking and excited about in that exact moment. I savored every word. We talked about Nerf guns, ducks, trumpets, some chef he met at school, and the upcoming ball game. How amazing!
When we were finished I had two thoughts. First, I wish I could have called my grandmothers and spoken to them every day; back in the dark ages, paying for a long distance call was akin to buying a car, so every long distance call was carefully planned and measured. Second, when did we shift from now to later? Let me say I am a planner with a mile-long wish list of things I want to do. But when is the last time we had a conversation where right in the present moment we talked about what was currently in our thoughts?
For me, enjoying the moment means putting everything out of my mind and concentrating on what is happening right in front of me. That sounds easy, doesn’t it? Well, it’s not. Our minds start thinking of what’s next or what we have scheduled for later.
I just stopped writing for a moment and sat at my desk listening and watching to what is going on around me. There was lots of background noise, but I focused on one thing. The sky was gray, and the wind was blowing the few brown leaves that were left on the trees. The bare trees are beautiful against the gray sky. It was very refreshing to do that. I see that view every day, but today I studied the details.
That’s the way it should be in our everyday life. We should study the details around us, especially in the people that are essential to our lives. It changes your day when someone comments on your new haircut or new shoes.
Today I have plans to have tea with a friend, so I’m going to concentrate on every word of our conversation. I am going to notice her eyes and expressions as we talk and share. I bet it will be a better experience that I anticipate just by being totally in the moment.
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