Wherever you are. Be all there-Jim Eliot
There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil Ecclesiastes 2:25
The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live wisely and earnestly for the present-Teaching of the Buddha
Every moment in our life is valuable. The seed of joy is planted in all of our circumstances and all it takes is for us to water it and harvest the fruit. Every moment in our life is to be savored and enjoyed because it all exists to make up the tapestry and the artwork that is called our story. That’s why I live with no regrets! Yes I said it. With all the stupid stuff that I have done and the wrong turns that I have made I have no regrets. Why? Because every dumb decision and wrong turn has brought me to this moment and in this moment I am fully alive. Most of the time we miss it and spend countless minutes, hours, and days wishing we were living someone else’s story. Instead of being present in our own we drift away and waste what is precious by looking toward the past or stressing about the future
Instead of thinking about another story to live I have chosen to savor every moment. Every day my goal is to enjoy the now whether it’s getting my kids to clean up their messy room or eating a nice crisp fuji apple. I take it all in and realize that I have been given a gift: the gift of life
How can we do this on a regular basis?
Slow down Most of our life is lived at a speed that is unsustainable and counterproductive to actually living in the present. Instead of going through the day at 90 mph the best thing to do is to slow down. You will be amazed at what happens. You begin to see the important things more clearly and eliminate the unnecessary. You begin to notice the beauty that is all around you and become content with your life just as it is.
Breathe This simple act is the foundation of our life. Once you slow down practice breathing. I practice breathing while I do some of the mundane tasks that I would rather not do like washing dishes or putting the kids to bed. Eventually the breathing leads to meditation and meditation leads to prayer and prayer leads to peace If nothing else I am reminded of the gift of life that I have been given.
Use all of your senses The next time you are eating don’t just concentrate on the taste. Notice the smells. The texture. The sound of the food as it cooks over the stove. Begin to use all five of your senses with every action that you take. Life is not made for just going through the motions. Life is to be experienced
Be Grateful Finally,be grateful. When we practice gratitude we begin to live in the moment. We are grateful and thankful for what we have now in the moment. It does not matter whether we have the latest technological gadget or whether we have the best looking house or car on the block. We are thankful for our story and we are fully present within it. So begin to write a list of what you are thankful for or practice letting others know how much you appreciate their presence in your life story.
Savor the moment!!!
