Living in the Moment

I can’t tell you how many times I wish I did this better. Unlike other problems, this is one of those things that you cannot go back and fix. Regrettably (but humorously), I always say to myself right after going through a situation with which I should have been more involved and present, “Man, I should have been more into that moment. Crap.” Shoulda. Woulda. Coulda. We can’t get those times back. We can hope for more in the future, but they are not guaranteed – and we cannot spend our present hoping for the future. Truly, I can’t tell you how many times I wish I did this better.

And, yet, I distinctly remember when I have done this well. I think I remember it because I was truly in those moments. I lived them. I breathed them. I enjoyed them. My mind, my heart, and my spirit were in tune with those moments. Whether it was a rainstorm on a safari in Africa, river-swimming in a cave in Ecuador or simply golfing with my dad in Nampa, Idaho – I have lived in some moments… and I have loved it.

What does it mean to live in the moment? I hadn’t heard of the concept until a friend told me this story. My friend was in Taiwan listening to a teacher explain the exciting study abroad program that lay in front of the students for the next three months. In hopes of encouraging the students to get the full amount of the experience, the teacher told them about his favorite student of all time. “I have never seen another person be fully into every moment like he was,” the teacher stated. “It is the first thing you noticed about him, and it is the last thing you will remember – the way he could fully immerse his heart and soul into every moment of his life. He never went through the motions. He never sat out a play. No matter if it was studying for a test or trying to speak Spanish with his family – he was fully present in each and every moment. It was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen.”

When I heard this description, I wanted to be that guy. I mean, I want to remember the past and plan for the future – but, doggone it, I want to live in the present. I want to live in every moment.

Life is too short.

Life is too good (even when it’s bad).

Life is too…

You fill in the rest. And then live it. Live every moment of it. Heart, mind, soul, and spirit – with God, with friends, with family, with strangers – in love, in hope, in wonder, in adventure – let’s all live in every moment.

(So stop reading this blog, and GO!)

Time and Life...Hand in Hand

I am 23 already. Can you believe it? I hardly can sometimes. 23? 23. I bet in 30 more years, I will kill to be 23 again. But, also, I know when I was 15 I thought that I couldn't even fathom what it would be like to be 23. I am two years from 25. And 25 is half of 50. Weird. I am almost 30.

Really, I just write all of that to try to prove a point. Can you believe how much time impacts our lives? In some areas of the world, it is amazing to make it to 23. For some, 23 was the best time of their life, and now they are constantly living in the past. For others, they lived horrible lives when they were younger, and they would never go back to that age. To be 23 is young to some, and it old to others. It is desireable for some, and it is scary for others. And to think - some people on earth do not even know or care how old they are.

So what is my point? My point is this: time and life go hand in hand.

Do you want to make the most of your time on earth? Then live. Live such a life.

Do you want to have a great life on earth? Then value your time. Take advantage of time.

We are all given 24 hours each day. We can never get today back. We can never get our time back. It is the most precious commodity that we are all given in equal measure. Tomorrow is not promised. Yesterday is not revived. There is today. There is life in today. Or at least there should be life in today.

What are you doing with your time? What are you doing with today? If you are waiting for life - stop. If you are going through the motions today - stop. I would hate for anyone to be near the end of their life before they started to open their eyes. I would hate for anyone to be in regret over time wasted and lost. I would just hate for anyone not to experience life, and life to the full.

Therefore, I will end with two questions I have often asked myself and now I pose to you. So what are you doing with your time? What are you doing with your life? They probably go hand in hand...