One of my favorite songs is “Lost in the Moment” by NF. Never heard of him? Well, one of my friends calls him the Christian version of Machine Gun Kelly. I have no idea if that is true or not because I never been one to listen to that type of music, but that is beside the point. This song speaks to me.

“This may be the last sunset I'll see
So I'll take it in, I'll take it in
This may be the last air that I'll breathe
So I'll breathe it in, I'll breathe it in”

Living in the moment has always been something I try to do, but I am not always successful. You never know when you are going to take your last breath. You never know if this is it. You don’t know if this is going to be the last time you will go hang out on the beach with your friends or if it is going to be the last time you take a drive through the country with windows down and music blaring. You don’t know if this is the last time you will go for a walk with someone you love. You don’t know if this is the last day you have. Each moment is a gift that deserves to be embraced no matter how mundane it may seem. Every moment is one that should be remembered, even if it isn’t a good one. The best memories are often the ones that were made during the storms of life. The hard moments enhance the good ones. Never forget your past; it shapes you in a way nothing but the present can.

“Joy, when was the last time we had it?
I don't remember cause all that we do
Is go backwards but that's what you get
When you live in the past
And I know we breathing but we not alive
Really, is this the way we wanna die?”

Another portion of this song reminds me that dwelling in the past is overrated. Those tough memories may bring out the light in the present, but if all we think about is our past – the mistakes we have made, failures we have acquired, and wrongs that have been done to us – then, we just keep reliving the misery. On the flip side, if we think about all our good memories constantly, we miss out on chances to make more. We have to let the past go. We have to live.

I know that I don’t want to die in the past. I don’t want to die as a shell of the person I could have been if I had been fully alive, enjoying every second of life. I am going to live in the moment. I am going to be content with who I am, what I have, and cherish the people surrounding me every day.

Sure, strive for greatness: keep looking towards the future. Throughout that journey, though, be present. Be mindful. Cherish every breath.