Engaging the Present
Cool morning waves washed up to my ankles, occasionally surprising my knees with an unexpected surge. Wet sand slid between my toes, as the morning breeze cured something deep within me.
As sunlight slowly illuminated the shore, sandpipers and other birds scouted for their breakfast. Walkers and joggers increased as the early morning wore on, in search of peace, wholeness, and beauty. Quietly and kindly acknowledging each other in passing, we have an understanding about this sacred and fleeting time of day.
“It is good to be here, right now,” I thought to myself. “The future is in the future and the past is in the past. And I am right here.”
The present brings a sense of relaxation and rest and contentment.
Clearly the beach is a great place to be present. It’s so overwhelmingly delightful.
But, can you be fully present on your back patio, in your living room, walking in your neighborhood? Can you pull away from the draw of the future and the past to notice your surroundings and to be grateful in the moment? Yes, you can and it’s worth the effort.
Worth Repeating
Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.
― Mother Theresa
