Carpe diem: "grasp the day", because "now" is all we can truly experience
We can plan and dream and think about fond memories or regrets, but what we can only really, truly experience with all our senses is now.
However, total, undivided presence all the time is simply not sustainable in everyday life. That is why, even short pauses are essential.
Pause and listen. Pause and look. Pause and feel. The world is full of wonder and yes it is also full of pain and challenges. A mindful pause will clear the mind, even for a few moments. It is the pause of the breath, smelling a flower or feeling consciously the air on our face. It is also the pause when we feel hurt and aching, because hurt and aches are asking for attention. It is in the pause that we are totally alive.
My favourite pause is looking at my horses' mane, absorbing myself in the hair catching the light, the wind playing with the strands, their smoothness to the touch, the typical "smell of horse" that is so dear to my heart: grass and fresh air and moss and earth.
We learn from our past, we cherish it, sometimes we still hurt because of it. But it is the past and it can hinder us from experiencing life to the fullest, because life only happens in the now.
We create our lives with our thoughts, directing them in one direction or another, but focusing so firmly on our imagined future keeps us from co-creating with the universe, so we could maybe give life a chance to lead the way: and we may be surprised.
Enjoying or accepting what is, is a Stoic tenet: making the most of what is to grow or learn or enjoy is our choice. That is where our freedom lies. Refocussing our attention on the present moment will help us reach our goals with equanimity, will help us sum up our courage, will help us breathe and let go.
It is a matter of balance : between past and future there is this fleeting present moment.
And there is where we are.
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