Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Enjoy It Now

We work hard. We worry about tomorrow and how we’re ever going to get by. We fill our time with work and worry and the time slides by quickly.

What have we done?

We’ve socked some cash away for the future. We’re going to spend the glorious years of our retirement traveling and relaxing because then we’ll have the time to do it. But what about now?

What are you doing with your time?

Do you anxiously wait for the minutes to tick by so you can go home from work? Are you looking forward to the weekend and just want to get the week over with?
Does the day seem short, but the hours really, really long?
This morning is ancient history. Tomorrow is still a dream. But now, right now, this very minute is here and it’s what we’ve got. We’re sure of right now because we’re experiencing it. Do you know for an absolute fact that you’ve got tomorrow, too?
We believe we’ll have it. We have faith that we’ll wake up tomorrow morning and many mornings beyond. That’s the faith that encourages us to start a savings account, make plans for next year, plant a tree. But until tomorrow happens and becomes now we can’t be absolutely sure of anything.
Building for the future is wonderful, but it shouldn’t ever get in the way of enjoying today.

Start by slowing down.
Let’s say it’s your afternoon break and you’re about to eat an apple. Don’t just eat it; experience it. Use all your senses. Tune out everything else around you and look at it. See the different colors in the peel. Inhale the fragrance. You’ve got an orchard in your hand. Is it firm? Round or oval? Does it feel cool or room temperature?
Now take a bite. Did you hear the crunch? Chew slowly and let the flavor slide over your tongue and inhabit your mouth.
Is it sweet, tart, juicy?
Slow down and enjoy your apple and enjoy this moment of your life. It’s what you’ve got right now.

3 comments:

Marilyn said...

Hmmm.

Right now I've got the man I love waiting for me to come to bed.

I think catching up on more blogs can wait until tomorrow.

Thanks for the post!

Anonymous said...

What a great post! Thank you so much for the reminder. Makes me think of Thoreau's quote:

"I went into the woods because I wanted to live deliberately. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life...to put to rout all that was not life; and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."

Leah J. Utas said...

Marilyn and Thomma Lyn, I'm glad you enjoyed my post. Thanks for commenting.