Being
Present
- Sandra Abell
(from an email a friend sent me)
- image borrowed from
here.
I have
lots of things going in my life, and at times they become a jumble and I have
trouble sorting them out in my mind. The result is that I often end up feeling
overwhelmed and not knowing which to tackle first. When this happens I realize
that I’m so into my head and out of my body that I’m not at all in touch with
the "now".
So, this
month I’m reflecting on what I call “being present”. "Being present"
means that I focus on what I’m doing/feeling right now. Not on what I did
yesterday or will do tomorrow, but right now. Amazingly, when I do this for at
least 10 minutes, it clears my brain, relaxes my body and I’m once again able
to concentrate.
There is
something very calming and peaceful about being "in the now".
Stopping everything and becoming aware of what my body is doing. Is my
breathing deep or shallow, where are my muscles tense, am I warm or cold, etc.?
When I am
"present" I also notice what’s happening outside my body. The way the
blossoms blowing off the trees look like snowflakes, how the sun feels as it
warms my face, the texture of soft, squishy grass under my feet.
Many years
ago when my children were toddlers they taught me the beauty of "being
present". Small children are always in the present. They don’t worry about
what they have done or will do. They live in the moment.
If you’ve
ever walked with a toddler you know that everything is fascinating. They see
the beautiful leaf, the caterpillar crossing the sidewalk, and the lovely rocks
in the driveway. Taking a walk with my small children was an adventure. They
taught me to slow down and take time to notice the present, instead of focusing
on moving ahead to our destination. For them, the process was the destination.
Now, when
I feel overwhelmed and scattered I remind myself to stop, and just “be
present”. It makes all the difference.
---------------------------------
"Thoughtful planning and preparation are key to a rewarding future, but we do not live in the future—we live in the present.
It is day by day that we work out our plans for the future; it is day by day that we achieve our goals. It is one day at a time that we raise and nurture our families. It is one day at a time that we overcome imperfections. We endure in faith to the end one day at a time. It is the accumulation of many days well-lived that adds up to a full life and a saintly person."
Complete article by D. Todd Christofferson
HERE will give more info about:
Look to God for What Is Needed Each Day
Looking to God Daily for Our Needs Nurtures Faith
Trust in the Lord—Solutions May Come over Time
Work through Large Problems in Small, Daily Bites
God’s “Daily Bread” Is Needed in Reaching Our Potential
Seek the Lord’s Help in Serving Others
Daily Choices Have Eternal Consequences
Jesus Christ Is the Bread of Life
