Something to Keep in Mind

18Jun09

“Life can be found only in the present moment. The past is gone, the future is not yet here, and if we do not go back to ourselves in the present moment, we cannot be in touch with life.” – Thicht Naht Hanh

“Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis
on which the world earth revolves – slowly, evenly, without
rushing toward the future. Live the actual moment.
Only this moment is life.”  - Thicht Naht Hanh

I’m currently in a bit of limbo, I’ve graduated, but I’ve no professional job.  I plan to move to Oregon soon, but as of the current moment don’t have the funds or a job out there to supply them.  Right now I’m working my old student jobs to save money and pay off rent in the mean time.

Usually in life we’re always waiting for the next step.  In middle school we can’t wait for high school, in high school we can’t wait for college, in college we can’t wait to get a job, then we can’t wait to retire.  We’re always taught at a young age to plan for the future, not live life day by day.  We’re stuck in a constant cycle of anticipation but are forsaking the opportunity to enjoy ourselves right now.  That’s the opposite of what we should be doing.  You should prepare for the future of course, it is foolish not to have some ’skeleton’ of a plan, but we can’t plan it precisely.  We in no way have full control over what happens with our lives, only roll with the punches and hope for the best.  The only thing that exists is what is happening right now, some physicist even theorize that ‘time’ is an illusion and doesn’t really exist.  If we forsake the opportunity to enjoy this moment we will never be happy.  ”Living in the moment, right now” happens to be one of the pillars of Buddhism.

So, just figured I would share that, one of the little bits if wisdom I’m keeping in mind in this in betwen stage of life.  Though I’m moving soon to (hopefully) a more exciting future.  I shan’t forsake this opportunity to enjoy time with the good friends I have now, because I may not get a second chance, and that ‘better future’ might not happen.  And of course, if I do miss an opportunity, not to dwell on it any longer than it takes to learn the lesson, because that may cause me to miss more opportunities in the future.

Filed under: Uncategorized   |  1 Comment
Tags: Life, planning, time, zen