Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Moment times


There is much to be said about being ‘in’ the moment.

It is a phenomenon that has much written about it; books, and studies, and yet many people still struggle to live in the present. It is also something that cannot be completely achieved – that is the success of living in the moment cannot be a total immersion in the subject. You cannot live your entire life in the present moment or there would be no planning for future events or reminiscing about the past, both of which are very important in self development and personal enjoyment. Extremes in these ideas can lead to unhappiness – living too much in the past; like the man who blames his upbringing for his ‘unsuccessful’ life, or worrying too much about the future; or the woman who is forever worrying about upcoming bills. Neither of the people in these examples can live a life of complete happiness and fulfilment as they are constantly concerned with events that have either occurred or haven’t occurred yet – both of which are out of their control. We are all guilty of living out of the moment at particular points in our lives – and a certain amount of this is necessary. It is still important to plan ahead for some of life’s events; planning a holiday, planning for a wedding or birthday to a certain extent aids for a smoothly run day. However, over planning (which we are all guilty of at one point or another) can sometimes destroy the chance of the magic of the moment, and the surprise events which occur randomly. If a holiday is planned to the enth degree there is no room for discoveries, surprises, unplanned circumstances which are often the highlight of people’s lives. Some of the best days of my life can be described, at best, as loosely planned.

Personally, I have been an over-planner. I have worried too much about fitting everything into the day and creating magical experiences without actually enjoying the experience while it occurs. This can lead to remorse when the event is over. But being aware of this is half the challenge.

Time moves along so quickly – don’t ever underestimate that fact. People are here one minute and gone the next and while they are here enjoy every second of their company. When they are gone there should be nothing unsaid. Much of the melancholy felt in regards to death revolves around things unsaid.

Don’t hold anything back. Live in the moment. Live for now.