Like many out there, I’ve always taken pride in how well organized I am. I keep my “To Do List” current; my Palm Pilot up-to-date; and what’s more, I am usually on time for my appointments… if not early. To keep up with all I wish to accomplish – both personally and professionally – I find myself deep in thought much of the time… even as I drive to and from a destination. Then it happened; the wake up call everyone eventually gets. Mine came this weekend in the form of a speeding ticket. It was not just any ticket; it was as if God was saying, “Theresa… STOP it!!!! You’re moving way too fast and you’re missing out on soooooo much.” It hit me like a ton of bricks. In spending so much time dwelling on the past so as not to repeat past mistakes and in planning for a future that may not happen according to plan, I was totally missing out on absolutely everything that was occurring around me in that moment – including the speed change!
So this morning with a new day upon me I vowed to focus on each moment and what was occurring in and around me. I don’t know why, but for some reason I thought it would be easy to empty my mind of its many thoughts much like cleaning off my desktop or sorting through outdated mail. The reality was that allowing myself to simply exist, to fully be “in the moment proved to be far more difficult than I ever imagined. How do I silence the constant stream of thoughts, plans, images, and stories that played in my head? Where do I begin in focusing outward rather than inward? In that moment, paying attention to every little thing that presented itself to me and to every single person young or old who came into my life seemed overwhelming. By lunchtime, all I knew was that I had to think less … way less… and see and feel a great deal more.
As difficult as today was, I survived it and learned just how remarkable St. Therese’s life really was. It served as a reminder of what “living in the moment” really meant and just how much love is involved in paying attention to even the smallest matters during the course of a single moment. While many may not be familiar with St. Therese or her life, many readers are familiar with Eckart Tolle’s book, The Power of Now (http://www.eckharttolle.com/eckharttolle-powerofnow) which teaches us in very real ways just how valuable it is to “live in the Now” rather than in the past or in the future. In his latest book, <A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose (http://www.eckharttolle.com/eckharttolle-newearth), he offers reassurance that we are not alone in our struggle. He explains that in our quest to focus on the moment, we often perceive conflict between “living in the moment” and our lofty goals when in reality there may be none. Mr. Tolle writes:
“The great arises out of small things that are honored and cared for. Everybody’s life really consists of small things. Greatness is a mental abstraction and a favorite fantasy of the ego. The paradox is that the foundation for greatness is honoring the small things of the present moment instead of pursuing the idea of greatness. The present moment is always small in the sense that it is always simple, but concealed within it lies the greatest power. Like the atom, it is one of the smallest things yet contains enormous power. Only when you align yourself with the present moment do you have access to that power. Or it may be more true to say that then has access to you and through you to this world.”
So with that said, how do we go about doing great things by only living in the present? First, consider every day a new beginning; a new opportunity to live in the moment; and another opportunity to find beauty in and savor the moment as a child would. It starts by:
What suggestions do you have for “living in the moment”?
Remember … touch a life today “The Little Way” by following the lead and need of others. Also, if you ever thought to yourself, “I wish my customers, knew…”, then be sure to visit White Light Communications at http://www.tothewhitelight.com.
~ Theresa
Doing It "The Little Way" 