The Present

 “Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.” Alice Morse Earle, American Historian

At any one point our minds are usually moving to three points in time, the past, present and the future. One could be attending to some matter but at that very moment, their mind could be far off considering something from the past or in the future. The success of each action we take depends on whether we are present, both in body and mind, and focused on the action. For us to live an inspired harmonious life, we should focus on the present moment, to enjoy all it offers, to explore all of its potential since it has the greatest influence on our future. 

Even though it sounds simple to focus on the present, it is quite difficult to execute. Wallace Wattles wrote “Do, everyday, all that you can do that day, and do each act in an efficient manner”. This is pretty straight forward, but I acknowledge it is very hard to do. Yet this is where the truth to successfully attaining our future goals lies. Setting plans, and doing each day, each moment, all that is required to be done. 

Wattles also said “Whatever your action is to be, it is evident that you must act now. You cannot act in the past, and it is essential to the clearness of your mental vision that you dismiss the past from your mind. You cannot act in the future, for the future is not here yet.” Wattles 

Jean de La Bruyère said “Children have neither a past nor a future. Thus they enjoy the present, which seldom happens to us.”  The little ones in many ways enjoy or seek to experience each moment. They focus on the thing that is happening right before them, at this moment. At times, this can be frustrating in that it appears their attention span is so short. Yet they are able to enjoy the moments fully and those moments that end up being terrible, can easily be forgotten, just as quickly, in most cases (except traumatic events that tend to be remembered for a long time). 

Consider this story told by Jerry Braza in the book Moment by Moment:

A mother tells a father, “Honey, would you drop the kids off at school this morning? I’ve got a lot of shopping to do and errands to run.”

“Well, dear, I’ve got a pretty hectic day myself (sigh) …  OK I’ll do it.  But hurry, up kids!”

So Dad and his children jump into the car and they’re off. The busy father glances at his watch. “Why is traffic so slow this morning? Certainly people should drive safely, not speed, but this little old man in front of us must be sight-seeing! I’ll pass him as soon as I can… take a short cut maybe … Oh, no!!”

Wouldn’t you know it! The car approaches a railroad crossing just as the lights begin to flash and the safety gate comes down. Dad’s first thought: “Darn it! We’re going to be held up by a train and be late.”

So, as Dad is fuming in the front seat, anxiously tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, reviewing, in his mind, how to make up some time … a sweet, childish voice calls out from the backseat: “Daddy, Daddy, we’re so lucky! We get to watch the train go by!”

There are seemingly frustrating moments in life, which if looked at in a different light, can be delightful. 

The book of Proverbs 13:12 says  “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.” In my view the essence of this proverb is that we can enjoy the hopes we have right now, at this moment, before the dream is achieved and also when it is actually achieved. If you may, you can have a double enjoyment of the dream, first,  while you hold to the faith that it has been achieved and second, when it is actually achieved. We do not have to defer the hope or enjoyment of the dream. We can enjoy the essence of our hopes fulfilled at this very moment. Infact, I dare say this is the key to getting what we pray for or dream about. Jesus said “I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you have received it, it will be yours” Mark 11:24. We can imagine the reality of whatever we dream about or are praying about and enjoy the essence of it having been fulfilled at this very moment. Accordingly, this aligns with the faith that we have received it and makes it come to reality. When we then achieve the dream, we get to enjoy the essence of fulfilment in actuality. 

When we do not savour the moment, we invite fear, worry  and anxiety to rule in us. As Jesus said “do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” I think this is illustrated in the story of the Israelites while in the desert. They were hungry and they complained to Moses and to God. God heard their complaints and the following happened:

“ Then the LORD said to Moses, “I have heard the Israelites’ complaints. Now tell them, ‘In the evening you will have meat to eat, and in the morning you will have all the bread you want. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.’”

That evening vast numbers of quail flew in and covered the camp. And the next morning the area around the camp was wet with dew. When the dew evaporated, a flaky substance as fine as frost blanketed the ground. The Israelites were puzzled when they saw it. “What is it?” they asked each other. They had no idea what it was.

And Moses told them, “It is the food the LORD has given you to eat. These are the LORD’s instructions: Each household should gather as much as it needs. Pick up two quartsc for each person in your tent.”

So the people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, some only a little. But when they measured it out,d everyone had just enough. Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough. Each family had just what it needed.

Then Moses told them, “Do not keep any of it until morning.” But some of them didn’t listen and kept some of it until morning. But by then it was full of maggots and had a terrible smell. Moses was very angry with them.

After this the people gathered the food morning by morning, each family according to its need. And as the sun became hot, the flakes they had not picked up melted and disappeared.” Exodus 16:11-21

 The Israelites had to operate by faith, that each day, while in the desert, they would get enough food to eat. God would provide for them each day. They were only to gather enough food for a day. I think the Creator has set it such that we can have all we need for each day. It is a matter of us operating by faith and not by sight. 

So what is your view of the past, the present and the future? In which of these timeframes do your thoughts dwell on mostly? 

For us to live an inspired harmonious life, we have to value each moment we get in life. Whatever that moment carries, it is to serve a good purpose. Either to grow our character, to give us perspective or to show us the beauty of life. We can enjoy the essence of the dreams we have at this moment, and get the double joy of enjoying those dreams when they are actually fulfilled. Indeed, as the saying goes “today is the first day of the rest of your life”, may you enjoy this day and the moments it brings. Enjoy each subsequent day too! Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said “Always hold fast to the present. Every situation, indeed every moment, is of infinite value, for it is the representative of a whole eternity.”