“There were times I could not afford to sacrifice the bloom of the present moment to any work, whether of the head or hand.”
Thoreau, Walden
A colleague recently posted on social media with a picture of a beautiful landscape and a caption about how she couldn’t let this moment pass. She actively decided to enjoy the present and answer all the emails another day.
In much of my life, I think of my future self. I do many of the things I do to ensure the future me will be well rested, organized, overall healthy, and not overwhelmed. I try to make meals in advance, pack my bag the night before, schedule how I will spend my time, meditate, exercise, and more to ensure a positive future.
In all my plans and preparations, I sometimes feel a pull to let it all go. I ask myself, “What am I missing out on today as I prepare for tomorrow?” I’m struggling with the balance of it all. I want to be present in this moment, and I want to be ready for the future. I recognize that I can be present in my preparations, and still I wonder about the post from my colleague and the quote from Thoreau. I want to make time for the present moment to bloom in its sometimes slow, still way.
Thinking back, there have been moments in my life when I have let it all go. I remember many campfires and getting lost in the flames. I watched in awe of the power of fire and how beautiful it was contained in the metal ring. I enjoyed seeing the colors change from the base of the fire to the wisps floating into the air. The fire was both destructive and beautiful like so much of nature.
In a similar way, I’ve also been in present awareness enjoying the water. It might be watching the waves come to shore, letting the sand cover my feet, or feeling the sun as I lay on the beach. Nowhere to go, nothing to do but enjoy the present moment.
As I move forward, I’d like to capture more of these moments in my everyday life. I want to live in present awareness and find more time to go with the flow and enjoy what is around me. I still believe in planning for my future, but maybe I can light a candle and watch the flame or dust off my plug-in water fountain to listen to the water flow. And at least once a day, stop all the future planning to be present and enjoy this moment, now.
What do you do to balance enjoying the present moment and taking care of the future?
Feel free to share in the comments.
Author: Renee Dimino
Mindful Life Connections 