Living in the Now

It is early morning and the world around me is still dark and sleeping. Winslow woke me up at 4:30 a.m. because he needed to chase a raccoon from our backyard. So, I decided to just stay up and read and visit some blogs.

Many of the blog posts a came across this morning talked about living more in the moment, which is such a big theme with me as well. So, I thought I'd write a little about that while showing you more pictures from our recent cruise - these from beautiful Grand Turk. 

Living in the moment has become such a challenge for me as the world around me seems to be speeding up. My mind is constantly engaged and flitting about, and I am sure much of that is due to the wonders of the internet. I love the internet and how it is allowing me to be connected to the world.

And at the same time, I crave the quiet times, when I can just sit with my knitting, a good book, stare at the fish tank or into the trees outside, listen to the birds singing, or paint in my studio. 

However, the trick for me is not being able to be in the moment when all is peaceful. That's easy! The trick for me is to practice it well enough during those quiet times that I can find that same inner peace when life is going crazy. 

And life always goes crazy at some point. Stuff happens. In everyone's life. Mine included. And that's when I want to be able to remember that the present moment, the NOW is all there is. Ever.

The past has passed and the future is still becoming. But right now is when life is happening - and I want to be more present for that. I believe that how I live each moment shapes my past and creates my future.

I also noticed that when I live more in the present moment, fear pretty much has no room there, as I am usually fearful about stuff that hasn't happened yet (oh, the imagination I have!) or feeling regretful about events that have already passed. Such a waste of precious time! 

So, a few days ago I went to my rather extensive personal library of inspiring books and pulled out two that I really connected with when I first read them a few years ago:

The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle and A Thousand Names for Joy: Living in Harmony with the Way Things Are by Byron Katie. When I first read them, I knew I wanted to read and study them again and NOW it that time.

And because I am a sharer, you'll probably hear tidbits along the way...

Right now, I am sitting on a comfortable chair in Daniel's studio upstairs, the computer is humming, the only light in here is from a Christmas light in the window, everyone else is still asleep, outside an owl is hooting and I can sense the beginning of dawn.

It is a perfect moment!

Wishing many of those for you today and every day! 

❧ Silke