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Today has no “re-wind” button
“One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living” Norman Vincent Peale
The quote above we hear often in one form or another. Stress control expert Dr. Hans Seyle believed that we spend over 60% of our time either dwelling on something in the past or worrying about something that may happen in the future. That leaves 40% of the time to enjoy life in the present moment. The question is: How do we discipline ourselves to live in the moment?
Here is a simple illustration. Last week my wife and I had done some house decorating and we were moving furniture and hanging family pictures. “Do you ever really look at these pictures?” I asked. She replied, “Yes, I look at them a lot. Have you ever wondered why we have never used a housecleaning service?” “No”, I replied. “I had always assumed it was a budget issue”. She went on to explain, “Each time I clean this house I need to dust the picture frames and mementos. Instead of cleaning in a mad rush, I take the time to look and reflect on each keepsake. Often one of the items or pictures will lead me to reflect on a favorable memory or story. It brings me joy”.
What is your way of slowing down and enjoying life’s moments? I will conclude by relating a conversation I had years ago with some Europeans who were visiting this country. I asked them how they were enjoying their experience, and they raved about what a wonderful country this is and how much they were enjoying it. To balance out the conversation, I said, “Yes, I’ve been to your country and you know something?…I think you folks are better at spending quality time with your families and enjoying life’s moments. I expected them to say, “No, not really”. They didn’t. The silence was deafening. LET’S ENJOY LIFE’S MOMENTS!