An old man sits down on the swing on his front porch. He sips his coffee and his eyes show the rejoice he feels as he takes in the beautiful surroundings of this very familiar street. He’s had many moments in life, but this one carries a special tune. Why? He is fully present; he takes in enjoyment like the sips of his coffee. He has let go of his judgments. He has surrendered himself to the moment.
Surrender is one of the hardest things to do in life. There’s work to be done, mouths to feed and pressures to live up to all kinds of expectations. We yearn to feel as though we have control of something, anything in life. It is what gives us a sense of stability, of safety. Our usual way of finding this control is by filling our minds with the multitude of tasks that need to be done and not stopping until each is finished. But, where does the moment go? One day after a busy week, I was leaving a message on a friend’s voice mail explaining how busy I’ve been and all the things ahead I will be busy with in the future. At that moment, I realized that if I stayed in that mind state I could end up busy for the rest of my life! Surely the to-do list will keep growing. I had labeled that list as “tasks.” I had taken the joy out of doing and turned it into obligation.
Ask anyone. We can all relate to the “what’s next” persona. We have demanding lives! Multitasking is an art, but there are times when being in the present is essential. For example, you are sitting in a meeting, thoughts are racing through your mind, pick up supplies, propose the idea, do I remember all the facts? Maybe you think about a previous conversation you had with someone earlier. All of a sudden you get an epiphany! It’s a great idea; you say it with confidence. “We could do this!” Oops, looks like everyone else in the room had that same idea, and have been discussing it for the last five minutes. Where have you been?
Getting in touch with now is a way of life, not a task. Clearing your mind is a huge part of this experience because it allows you to bring all focus into what’s happening right now. The undeniable truth is that we are completely uncertain of what the future holds and sometimes life is not fair. We cannot control the moment, only the way in which we react to it. To clear your mind, try putting things into perspective. Ask yourself, what is the most important thing I have to do right now? The simple, yet shocking, answer every time is to breathe. Without our breath surely we will not survive and so it is important to appreciate even the seemingly simplest of things. Take time to slow the breath, reacting on things as they come.
Stop and listen, what do you hear around you? The sound of the breeze? A pleasant voice? Listening is also an art, for it is about what we are listening for. Yes, there are challenges in life; yes, there is hatred and cruelty; but, greater than all those things is love. There is love, kindness, and dreams becoming alive in every moment. When you listen, what do you hear?
Right now you are alive. You have the ability to live out your dream. What an honor and a blessing it is to be experiencing these moments with one another. Yes the future is unknown to us, but what that means is that the possibilities for great joy and love are endless. In the stillness of right now there is perfection. There is a reason and a purpose. It may take you 80 years like the old man to truly see it, or possibly the time is right now.
