When I was a child, a year seemed like an awfully long time. It was an unbearable wait till Christmas rolled around each year. At boarding school, the terms seemed to drag on interminably whilst I counted down the days until school holidays. I think that’s pretty normal for kids, approaching life with gusto, keen to move on to whatever comes next.
I remember wishing that I was 16, then I wanted to be 18 and before I knew it I was celebrating my 21st birthday. After that the years fled by at the speed of light. The older I get the faster they whizz past.
As I’ve grown older I’ve become much more aware of how important it is to cherish the precious moments in life. It’s not about the places. It’s about the moment we are in. We don’t have a rewind button so we absolutely have to enjoy experiences the first time around.
I think many of us struggle with remembering to live in the moment; after all, how often do you find yourself walking or driving along thinking about what you will cook for dinner tonight, or about a meeting you have to attend, a place you want to go next or something else in either the past or the future?
When we do these kinds of things (and hey, I’m as guilty as the next of this), what we are actually doing is robbing ourselves of time to enjoy and appreciate what surrounds us at that very moment and place in time.
I know that when I am consciously in that exact moment, I notice so much more. My powers of observation are much sharper and this is a good thing. I am focussing on what is right there in front of me. It might be the beauty of some little detail on a building I pass, a wonder of nature, or a subtle, unspoken key that a family member, friend or colleague is transmitting.
If we are too busy looking forward to a future point in time, we are cheating ourselves of experiencing life to the fullest. Some of the happiest people I know are not those who have everything but rather those who truly appreciate and take the time to live in the present moment.
It’s not so easy to do but I highly recommend trying to slow down, to appreciate the here and now rather than dwelling in the past and thinking about what we could have or should have done. It’s past and can’t be undone. Don’t dwell too much on the future either, because nothing is certain. Instead, enjoy today – as the old cliche says, ‘that’s why it’s called the present’.
Michelle
PS I’ve often spoken about the importance of living in the moment but I’ve never put it down in a blog but I was inspired recently by Marie Griffith with More painful th..to write it all down.
Michelle Hanton OAM - Dragon Sisters 
good thoughts…I’m dwelling in the future most of the time =) and I know it’s not a nice sign))
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Wonderfully said. Another good time to be in the present is when we are listening to someone else talk to us. That way we don’t we hear what they are saying and not what it means to us.
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You’re spot on Donna and I actually have a post currently in progress on that very subject – active listening. Great minds think alike 🙂
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Must be my social worker background.
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Thanks for your kind words Debby. Meditation is indeed a simple, powerful and effective tool that I find very helpful too.
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Such an eloquent post on what, for me, is a very timely post. But then again, when isn’t a reminder needed to be fully present whenever possible? Whenever I look back on the moments when I was happiest, they always involved me being fully present to the moment. Not thinking of anything else but what was unfolding right before me.
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Hi Nikki – thanks for stopping by and yes, you are correct we do all need to have reminders (myself included!). I’m glad this was timely for you 🙂
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Beautifully written, Michelle. I have to choose to “be where I am” so that I enjoy it, savor it, and remember it. And thank you for the reference to my post. I am honored to be mentioned in such a well written and inspiring blog.
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Glad you like it Marie. I always aim to give credit where it’s due it was definitely your post that gave me the nudge I needed 🙂
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What a great post! I needed that reminder right now. I get too caught up in all the day-to-day and “must do” that I often forget to just be present in the moment. This is so important. Thank you!
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Thanks Stacey. I’m pleased it spoke to you 🙂
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You phrased this beautifully. Just started a meditation practice this year to fully enable myself to be quiet and fully immersed in the moment. It has made a difference in my level of consciousness throughout the days. I don’t think I could have gotten through the last year of struggle without it. Nice post, thanks.
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