Say Yes to This Moment {Mantra 21}
My mind drifts forward. I have things to do this week that I’m excited about (babysitting my grandson for one!).
I also think to the past. I remember a joke my oldest granddaughter used to share with me. I laugh.
Back and forth and in-between, my mind wanders all day long.
Occasionally I land here, in the moment. This moment. And I remember, oh yes, this is where I’m supposed to be right now!
This moment is the only one we ever have. This is where God is most present.
Living too much in the past can cause guilt or sadness. Living too much in the future can cause anxiety or fear. Time is the root of suffering when there’s not enough presence.
Say yes to this moment.
Of course we need to think ahead to the future. And we find joy in thinking back to the past.
Planning ahead and reminiscing about the past are both good uses of the present.
But not to the exclusion of the present.
So for today, I’ll say yes to noticing what is happening now.
- I’ll say yes to listening to this person who is talking.
- I’ll say yes to savoring this meal as I eat it.
- I’ll say yes to the water in the shower and the prayer with God and the conversations with friends and the walk to the mailbox, all the little things that make up a day, one short moment at a time.
The small individual moments are actually the biggest moments of all.
There is enough in this moment.
Say yes to this moment.
Do you naturally drift more to the past or to the future? (I lean toward the future.) Or do you stay firmly in the present? Share in the comments.
Read More:
You are on Day #21 of the series: Find Your Mantra {28 Daily Mantras}
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“The greatest of these is love” {Mantra 20}
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“Love matters more” {Mantra 22}
- The Greatest of These Is Love {Mantra 20}
- One Word 2022 Linkup—February
God’s grace is present in each moment . . .
Blessings, Lisa!
Lisa, this is a beautiful reminder to “Say Yes to This Moment.” I can drift back to the past when feeling doubtful and then to the future when joyful. But you are right, the most precious moments are now. Blessings, Deborah
I mostly live in the present. Holidays are when I remember the past and call up precious memories of those who have gone before me. This is so true, Lisa, “The small individual moments are actually the biggest moments of all.”
I agree!
We tend to spend entirely too much time trying to correct the past and shape the future.
It saddens me to think about the blessings that I have missed because I was focused on the wrong things.
Love this post, Lisa! Savoring the moment we are in is something I have been aware I needed to work on in the past months of pandemic, family health issues, and more. I was someone who used to let the past define and limit the present, but once that was no longer true I could get drawn into too many “what if’s” toward the future and the consequential anxiety or fear would creep into my mind. So, the reflection you have shared here reminds me to keep disciplining myself on savoring the moment. Just last night as we had a great fire in the fireplace and was watching the Olympics Skating Gala we had recorded, I was reminded of how much a fire adds more than just an increase in temperature to the room and what enjoyment it brings. What a gift our senses are came to mind as I appreciated God giving us taste buds that provided such enjoyment to the flavor of food beyond its sustenance. All good things, small things, we can forget when caught in the past or running ahead to the future.
…we need to live in the moment, while remembering the past and planning for the future.
Ah, more wise words I needed this morning! The older I get, the more I see the wisdom of living in the present (or at least being present for it!). I am a work in progress.
I catch myself in the future often! Creative activities tend to keep me present. And it the small moments of the day, such as a walk to the mailbox that you mention, that are numerous and deserve our presence.
Here’s to being in the moment!