The Present is a Gift

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” – The Buddha

How many of us truly live in the present moment?  I’m pretty sure that if I asked this question in a crowded room, I’ll hear over a hundred “I dos” during the ten seconds following my utterance of the query.  But…if I ask them to think again, and throw in the words “past” and “future,” I’ll probably catch most people observing the others in the room, waiting to see what their answers will be.  Then, I’ll probably get five “I dos,” and that’s if I’m lucky!  

The truth is, only about a handful of us live in the present.  Most of us dwell on the past or dream of the future.  We waste our days overanalyzing, coming up with assumptions based on past experiences or destructive thoughts, and thus “shaping” our future–or at least that’s what we think we’re doing.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that you should drop the past and the future completely…I’m just asking you not to live your life based on them.  Think about it, the past is dead…literally…that’s why it’s called passed…it is gone! As for the future…it doesn’t even exist yet; the moment it comes into existence it becomes…guess what…the present!  

A few years ago, I was criticized for being too analytical and basing my decisions on assumptions, which I now see was definitely wrong.  Maybe I was scared of getting hurt…or disappointing my mother…whatever the unconscious reason was at the time, I wasn’t able to enjoy the present moment because I was too concerned with the future!  Again, I’m not telling you to drop the future completely.  I for one do live in the present, I truly enjoy every moment of it, but at the same time, I sort of have a four-year-plan with respect to my career and educational development, for example.  And in my opinion, the latter does not conflict with the former.  

I must say, I didn’t realize I changed so much in terms of how I lived my life until a few weeks ago when I got into a discussion with the same person who–a few year back–criticized me for “thinking too much,” and “basing decisions on assumptions.”  Ironically, now the tables have turned and that very same person is the one making decisions (on his own) based on assumptions.  I have to admit though, that his assumptions aren’t out of the blue…they could be right, but they could also be wrong…time’s a blabber and the truth will eventually come out…but for now, what’s so wrong with enjoying the present while we have it?  In the middle of our conversation it hit me: if he continues to base his risk-free life on assumptions to avoid hurt or disappointment, then he will never live his life to the fullest…simply because a life that is 100 percent risk free, isn’t really an exciting or interesting one, and on the long run, he will probably look back and realize that he forced himself to loose quite a lot…and honestly, I don’t want that to happen to him, or anyone who chooses to live his or her life in that same manner.  

Strategic planning and analysis is sometimes needed–in my opinion–in terms of career, education and financial issues to ensure security.  However, when it comes to close relationships, friendships, trips…i.e. the fun things in life, living in the present is (again, in my opinion) the better option.  Yes, there might be disappointments, heartache and tears…but there might also be happiness, smiles and joy.  And, to be honest with you, I’d rather risk getting hurt than preventing my self from falling in love…I’d rather risk getting disappointed than preventing myself from understanding the true meaning of “trust.”  

Always remember, the present is a “gift,” that’s why it’s called the present.