What a wonderful way to live our lives–Always Mindful!
How often each day do we forget to be mindful of things and people around us. We find ourselves listening to the rambling thoughts in our heads about past conversations (he said/she said), missed opportunities, and events. We might be thinking about what we are going to say in that future to a person or in a meeting at work or at home. When we do this, we have missed “this” current moment.
In that moment we may have missed the smile of one of our children or grandchildren. Or missed their laugh or the twinkle in their eye. We may have nearly fallen down the stairs or off the curb into oncoming traffic, or missed the turn we should have made in our car to reach our destination. Being mindless can be dangerous to our relationships, our jobs, and even our health!
Yuanwu writes: Thus, with their fundamental basis firm and strong, they were not blown around following the wind of objects (page 60). They lived a mindful life.
What is blowing you around today? What is taking you from that place that current moment of peace, rest, and congeniality? What words, deeds, people, and circumstances are you letting blow you around like the leaves in the midst of a windy fall day? What or who is drawing you away from your mindfulness and this current moment? If we respond to this moment with the fear and judgment of the past we will never make new friends, repair relationships with former friends, or find our inner peace.
Peace lives only in this current moment not in the past or the future. Love lives only in this current moment as we look into the eyes of our loved ones, friends, and coworkers. Joy is experienced only in this moment as we laugh at a funny story being told by someone, or share a wonderful memory with them as we reminisce about a trip or dinner or meeting that we shared.
Why? Because in reality there is only the NOW moment!
When we are remembering the past or looking into the future what time is it? NOW! So, let us be mindful of that and let’s watch what we can do with our lives, in this moment! Because this moment is all we have so be mindful of it!