If someone gave me a dollar for every time I saw a cheesy quote regarding the importance of "living in the now," I could buy a ticket to Paris and an accompanying Louis Vuitton carry-on bag. We've all witnessed posters and decorative pillows that display those inspirational messages. However, most of us choose to ignore those words of wisdom rather than try to integrate them into our everyday lives.
I've always found it difficult to live in the present. I think of the future constantly and sometimes buckle under the pressure of my looming responsibilities. Now, those anxieties in my life are boiling over at a maximum level. The thought of leaving everything I know to start a new life in college makes heart race and palms sweat.
Other times, mistakes I made in the past eat away at my thoughts and drain me of any possible energy to focus on my current life. Half of that comes from a habit of over thinking, and the other half from human nature. Needless to say, slowly learning to focus on the present has saved me some much-needed energy.
Thankfully, my dad continually teaches me the importance of being present in life, as well as Eckhart Tolle's famous phrase, "the power of now." He reminds me to this day that worrying about what could possibly happen or what has already happened only produces guilt and a dangerous string of "what ifs." I learned from him how to channel my energy into the current world that lies in front of me, rather than the one in either distant direction.
Today, I heard my sister's laughter, watched crystal blue waves crash against a lake shore, and made memories with friends who more closely resemble family. Thanks to my new awareness of the present, I could fully appreciate those moments. If I caught myself worrying about where to buy dorm supplies or how little time I had left on the Californian coast, I inhaled a deep breath and reminded myself that I couldn't change anything in that moment. I could, however, earn a tan from plenty of time in the sun and gaze at the beautiful Michigan scenery.
In life, we can only truly grasp things that are right in front of us. Until time machines become something more than the plot of a science fiction movie, the past and future are out of our hands. There is so much serenity that accompanies the "now." I receive fulfillment and excitement from life now that I can fully focus on moments as they occur and finally feel in control of my life.
The concept of time no longer drags me along for the ride, leaving me bruised with hundreds of nagging worries. I can work hard in the present to prepare for a future, without losing my ability to enjoy life's simple joys. Life can never go smoothly all of the time, but realizing what I can and cannot control has made the road considerably less bumpy.
