The spiritual way has taught me that if I am not in the present, I am not really living, not fully alive. In the moment, I find my place, my magic.
I couldn’t enjoy life when I spent so much time and energy worrying about what happened yesterday and what might happen tomorrow.
I realized that if I was afraid all of the time, I missed out on the beautiful reality that I was very much alive and could be happy right now, right at this moment, if I chose.
I didn’t realize the pain was inevitable, but suffering was often a choice.
In everyday life, psychologists say, we tend to believe that happiness is only possible in the future if we do this thing or that thing, make this amount of money or another or find love or purpose down the road.
I was often unhappy, but I always thought I might get there in the future.
I always fantasized about the “right” or “perfect” conditions that didn’t exist to make me happy and content. I wanted to feel safer, find love, and be more secure, grounded, and at ease.
A writer recently told me her ambition was to have a million readers and change the world. My heart broke for her. She never mentioned her life now. She reminded me of me.
But it was also the future I was always afraid of – would I lose my work, my book contracts, run out of money, get sick, fail in my grandiose ambitions, or lose the people I loved?
I lived for the magical moment – it was always in the future – when everything would come together and bring me the perfect life I always dreamed about but could never find.
I somehow didn’t think of being happy in the present – happiness was always ahead of me.
My spiritual work brought me to truth and reality, and possibility.
One spiritualist wrote, “it is possible to live happily in the present moment. It is the only moment we have.”
That was a landmark idea for me.
I have learned to offer myself a prayer, a mantra every morning: I have everything I need and want right now. I am alive right now. I can’t do a thing about the past, and I can’t predict the future.
But the now is always there for me.
If I wanted a life with some magic, I had to find it myself. Right now. Right in this moment. This is the only moment that I have.
So I did.
And then, I found that I had the love I loved; the life I wanted, and the magic was right there for me all the time.
I love the Kingdom Of Happiness. It was always there, just like Dorothy’s shoes.
“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.” — Lao Tzu
Eckhardt Tolle writes at length about the power of now. The past is gone forever and the future does not yet exist. You have elaborated on this point precisely Jon and this is how we should live life to the fullest.
very good, Jon! I’ve forwarded this on to two good friends……. who I felt would benefit greatly from this. Thank you many times over!
Susan M
Jon,
Here is a beautiful quote from John O’Donohue.
” Unless you find belonging in your solitude, your external longing will remain needy and driven “
FEAR – future events already ruined, false evidence appearing real, frantic effort to avoid reality – are just a few of the acronyms I’ve heard in AA. This next one, though “spicy,” was the one that applied to me, pre-recovery: F**k everything and run. Fear is a powerful thing, designed to keep us safe, and can become so maladaptive that it hobbles our ability to move forward in life. My counselor has taught me to thank my old fears, for they helped to protect me at times when I was so vulnerable, and then to let them know I don’t need them any more. This work will most likely never end, and that’s ok. One day at a time.
Powerful and so true! This really resonated with me. I love your mantra, and I’ll start using it, with modifications to suit my life.
Thank you!