Open your eyes!

Open your eyes!

"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment." You don't have to be Buddhist to appreciate this simple, yet powerful, statement. And while we've all heard that "live in the moment" song and dance before, most of us could use a mental kick-in-the-butt once in a while. When you step out your door in the morning on the way to work or school, what thoughts are brewing upstairs? Are you focused so intently on a phone call you had the night before or what you're going to make for dinner that you fail to notice what's happening around you at that very moment? Do you pay attention to the way the air feels, the sounds, and the people you pass; truly appreciating the experience of that unique moment?

Of course, Buddha may have taken it a bit far by saying that we shouldn't think of the past or future at all; the events behind us, after all, have built who we are today. And those before us give purpose to our lives. The key, like with so many things, is moderation. Don't get so stuck replaying your past or thinking how your life will be better when you have a new job that your life, the one happening RIGHT NOW before your eyes, passes you by! Next time you talk to someone, listen instead of thinking about the movie you saw last night; really taste that apple you're crunching on; and open your eyes to really see what's going on around you. And that is truly living!

by T.L. Scribe