The Gift of the Present

Today, I listened to a wonderful message from a guest preacher at my church. One of the most important truths I received from him was the concept of being a "non-anxious presence." The gist of this is that we can be, and should be, fully "present" at what we are currently about. We should give our attention to the task, or the conversation, or the relationship, that is at hand. How often are we distracted, half-hearted, sort of listening or watching or doing? How often is our ever-faster-paced culture dictating that we multi-task, sometimes to the detriment and even danger of ourselves and those around us?
When was the last time you just sat somewhere with no other reason than to just sit there? When was the last time you truly listened to someone with both your ears, and looked at them with both your eyes? When did you last talk on the phone and not do something at the same time? When did you last sit or kneel in silence before God, with no concern for time or schedule or electronic intrusion? When did you last appreciate the immeasurable miracle of your life and simply enjoy the sounds, sights, and smells around you?
If we could only be fully present with each and every moment, perhaps we would see the incredible value in those moments. Sure, there are some tasks that seem pointless, or extraneous, or simply necessary parts of life, but those are the ones we can intentionally add meaning to (look at some of the earlier entries for my ideas, then add your own). But some things we do have intrinsic value already. We only need to pay attention. For instance, when your friend calls you and says "I really need to talk," it might be the time to put your schedule aside, and shut your computer off. When your child says, "Mom, can you tuck me in?" you can let the laundry and the e-mail wait. When you get this nagging urge to apologize to somebody, it might be your only opportunity.
How precious is this moment? How important it is to be fully alive in it?

Share the fragments

So, you're over the hill, or so you may feel. Maybe, you're 50 or thereabouts. Anyway, you're most likely done with half of your time on the planet, hm? You look, you see the great memories, the fine relationships, the fruit of your labor. I hope you take time to look. Rewinding the videos can be a good thing every now and then. Given the same circumstances and the same you, you would most likely make the same choices, wouldn't you? Be thankful for that good stuff. If you had an intact family where there was love and caring and growing and shared life, thank God for that. If you had food and clothes and school and stuff, thank God for that, too. Remember some of your early friendships? How about some teachers who actually gave you some real time and attention? Thank God for that. Now, think harder: can you be a good memory for somebody else? Can your life lessons make a difference for someone else? Can your friends and kids and parents remember you with fondness and smiles and gratitude?
Time in relationship is not a waste. You can invest some of your life experience into someone else's life.
Ok, now what about the other side of this coin? What if you look back, and the bad memories cloud out the good ones? Maybe there was no intact family. Maybe there was sadness, or anger, or abuse, or neglect. Maybe you'd rather not rewind some videos too often. Well, given the same circumstances and the same you, you would most likely make the same choices, wouldn't you? Maybe other people's choices made your life harder than it had to be or should have been. Maybe you had to grow up way too soon and you still feel robbed and resentful. Maybe you struggle now because of then. So, what got you through "then?" Did you make some bad choices to escape pain? Are you still? Are you still letting other people and circumstances from way back control your life now? Are those old videos still the only ones you watch? You don't have to, you know. You can let the God of all comfort heal those hurts. You can get help from those who know and care and are trained to help. You can let the past be the past. Then, you can help somebody else who is still watching their videos and wondering why.
Our defeats can become someone else's victory. In so doing, they can become ours.