The Small Wonders of Life & The Present Moment

It was June 10, 2016, a day I had been looking forward to and planned weeks beforehand. ‘Friends are connected heart to heart. Distance and time can’t break them apart.’ is a quote that had long stick to my mind. For once, on this very day we were the ones to break the strings of distance and time. No more screens dividing us and no time distance, only the present moment and the utterly real presence of one another. We had planned to spend the day nearby an event which was taking place that one of our role models was attending, hoping to make our dream come true and meet her. In the end, we did not get to meet her, the person who somewhat, indirectly, first made us connect with one another. It took us four years to eventually meet in real life. We already had shared so many down-to-earth, deeply honest and helpful conversations behind screens. Thus, on this day our dream of meeting such an inspiring person we look up to didn’t come true, but still we finally hung out together in real life. And that was genuinely brilliant. With our hopes up, I can’t deny the fact that we did probably share a bitter feeling at the end of the end. Yet, I was grateful for this day. We didn’t do anything special, nothing extravagant long-time internet friends like to share on social media. Enjoying small things that life throws our way.

I have been attending meditation classes for a few weeks now and what struck me during the first sessions is the notion of present moment, the very essence of practicing meditation. It came to my mind that it is something we rarely do on a day-to-day basis. In our digital age, driven by all sorts of connection, we are set to think in terms of schedules. By doing so, we do not often realize that it turns out to limit us. Conversely, it sets boundaries with the present. We are so focused on what is about to happen that we completely forget the reality in which we are. We engage so much energy into preparing for the next job we’re going to land or the great event we are about to attend, that we deprive the present of our positive energy. We prioritize the future over the present. We expect it to be always better, happier, at times we even end up longing for something that is not reachable, that does not exist.

At times, our ambitions set boundaries for us. They blur our vision of what must be seized from a ‘moment’. Our minds get all caught up in a web of expectations that we may subsequently forget the present. We don’t live in the moment. We are out of our very own reality, creating an imaginary reality. This mindset embarks us on a path to believe that only big goals, great accomplishments such as weddings or extraordinary travel adventures, matter and bring us happiness. But not only do small moments pave the way for the great things, they also do create bliss, be it a heavenly sunset vista, the mere presence of a friend, a meal we share with our dear ones. There are so many more beautifully pure moments to pause and just enjoy without staring at our watch.

We live in world in which television news channel are filled with reports of tragic if not daunting events. And although these occurrences often remind us of the good that’s in our life, it is seldom that we actually realize of all the daily, tiny moments that can make us happy. Let’s appreciate the present moment, slow down and fully be in the moment. There are so many unrevealed or overlooked wonders around us, starting from our very own presence that surrounds our peers. Pause and appreciate the little things.

 

What are the little things that you are grateful for?