Morning Prayer 22/100. Here and now
Here and now
Here and now. Here. Now. Not there. Here. Not then. Now.
Presence is a matter of time and space. Being present is a call to be here, now. Here and now. This place. This time.
The here part is about mindfulness. Being conscious of the environment, the situation, the surroundings — even to the minutia. Savoring the clouds that look like animals. Hearing the whispering rush of water from the faucet. Smiling to the rhythmic breath of the sleeping dog.
The now part is about time, being present for the moment, being grounded in the present moment. This is the moment that matters because this is the only moment that is real. And as soon as I wrap my mind around that idea, another moment has taken its place. Then another. Then another.
Here and now. Value to each. Sometime, someplace I have difficulty with both. I’m busy looking forward to whatever I’m preparing for. Eager to be to wherever I’m going. Eager to have finished whatever’s taking my time and energy.
Yesterday I went for my first run in over 2 weeks. Beautiful morning, legs felt great. About 10 minutes into the run I realized my mind was entirely on getting back to running: how many runs this week and what routes I’lll take and how many minutes, how many miles I will run. I literally stopped and shook my head to clear out all that nonsense.
I realized the waste. I was wasting appreciation, wasting awareness, wasting enjoyment, focus, pleasure, achievement, reward. Being present to the here and the now– or to the One HereandNow it truly is — its own reward. I reminded me I was running for the enjoyment of running. Here. Now.
This is the moment that matters. What has already happened is no more. If it had an effect on our now, that’s present but whatever happened back then and caused it is no more. And if we’re working for something yet to happen, it’s not real either. Not yet = not real. The work we’re doing to bring it about, that’s real.
Remembering those two things make it easier for me to stay HandN.
Living, loving Presence,
I enjoy your reminders that your Presence
that fills me
is of the present.
I savor your signs that at every moment
and in every place
you are with me, I am with you.
I relish being called back from thinking ahead
or looking back,
from being there instead of here, now.
Attention to this very moment’s breath,
the smile at this specific instant,
the carpet beneath my bare feet where I stand
right now grounds me.
And so it is. And so I choose to let it be.
Thank you, God!
Love and blessings,
08/10/2015
In: Commitment, Happiness, Inner Peace, Joy, Life, Peace, Peacefulness, Prayer · Tagged with: Energy, Faith, Mindfulness, Now, Peace, Presence
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