Snow scene from 2012
The tree branch was cut away last year- this view is gone forever.
There is nothing like an abandoned blog to show how fast time goes by. It feels, to me, even lonelier than an abandoned building. So many years, so much empty silence.
I remember when I was a teenager. A friend of my elderly father had died. The man’s wife was sitting in our kitchen. With the tears streaming she said: You just work and work and work and then it’s all over.
Since that day, my worst fear has been, that I might find myself at the end of my life with such profound regret. I want to always give my best to life and make sure I feel alive and present every day.
We’ve all heard the exhortations to “Live in the moment.” My response used to be – “That’s nice if you’re in a beautiful garden, but what if your moment sucks?” What I understand now, is that our present moment is our point of power.
We understand this clearly if we are standing in the street with a truck speeding toward us. It is just as true is less dramatic circumstances. In every moment we are choosing what to think and what to do. In every moment we are not only acting but also creating our own meaning about what is happening. Even in the most simple tasks such as washing dishes there are choices available. When our day is the same as many days before, we may forget there are other choices but that doesn’t mean they cease to exist.
Whether there is a truck coming toward me or someone is yelling at me, the present moment is where I make the choice. It may be an action or only a thought. It may be the same as what I did yesterday or it may be different. Through it all the world turns and the sun shines.