Why Do We Have To Live In The Moment
Posted: Wednesday, April 23, 2008
by Susan Thom
Sometimes, living in the moment isn't exactly the happiest place to be. It has to be done, you can't fast forward the flu, or a cold, or lying back in the dentist chair. You can't stop your car from rolling over on a busy highway, after hitting an icy patch. And many times, you can't stop thinking about something that is bothering you. Something has you worried, or angry, or frustrated, or confused, or afraid. You might even feel inadequate because you just can't seem to get out from under the barrage of "life's moments." You are depressed, lethargic, and gloom city. You let things go that you normally do daily. Your computer is your escape route, and you are anxious to use it as such.
I also enjoy nature, and wild animals and birds, and swinging on a front porch I adore. That's when I truly live in the moment and enjoy life. Taking pictures is also a great boost to the spirit. Everything is just starting to bloom, and I always have my trusted little maltipoo to pose for pictures. Wild life, flowers, birds, trees with blossoms, and so many other beautiful images. Some problems can't be solved overnight. Time must go by until things can be set right. Those are the times of "living in the moment" that one must develop a style for, because there may be many moments to live through before there is a change.
Life doesn't ask our permission to beat us up, it just does so, and we need to know how to cope. We might not have been taught the skills we need to deal with tough situations, or we may have gotten the right training, and we can deal. I believe in God, and I believe He will guide my life to wherever it needs to go to do the most good, but that doesn't mean I will like His decision, and not rebel. It doesn't mean I won't be fearful or anxious or willing. However, I will go wherever He points the way.
I will adjust myself to whatever comes my way. On the journey to find that, however, I may not be happy in my conformity. And to think, He already knows all this, and more. I wish He would clue me in, but no, I need to learn it on my own. Live in the moment. That always sounds like they're talking about happy times. What if one has serious issues on their minds? Do we focus on them? I have found that yes, we need to, in order to think them through, and figure out how we will deal with situations and make them come out to our advantage, even if they aren't what we would have wanted.
Adaptability is really the key to living a happy and rewarding life, in my opinion. I am adapting daily, it seems. Raising three kids to adulthood has it's moments. I don't like piercings, my kids love them, and get them! I can either disown them, yell at them, or adapt, and accept. I don't want them to have tattoos, and all that dye in their skin, but they get them. Again, do I turn my back on them, or accept who they are, and what their preferences are, and love them and enjoy being with them anyway? Adapting to things I don't particularly care for is much easier than stressing my mind and body out over things I no longer have any control over.
It isn't easy, it takes a lot of thinking and focusing, but it's better than the alternative of negativity and anger. I can allow myself to stay at a calmer level if I just adjust my thinking. If I am going through a rough time, and I find myself enjoying writing an article, or listening to music, Elton John being my favorite, or sitting outside and absorbing the peace of nature, or talking to my partner or one of my kids, then I have learned how to adapt my thinking. There was a time when I wasn't capable because I wasn't willing. Change is a powerful thing. And positive change is so much enjoyable, than negative energy waiting to blow.
Adaptability also allows living in the moment to be more satisfying. My kitchen floor needs to be vacuumed and washed. There was a time when no matter how I felt, I'd be pushing myself to get it done. Everything was "supposed" to be clean and spotless, from what I knew. Now, it's in the back of my mind, and it's bothering me a little, but I am using my mind to talk to itself and assure it that I just don't feel well today, and when I get to it, I'll get done. No guilt, no shame, just reality. I can enjoy the moment of being on my computer, and when I feel like it, I'll do the cleaning.
When I feel drained, and need to sleep, I can enjoy the moments in a nice, fluffy down comforter. I can enjoy reading my son and daughter's e mails, or talking to them on the phone. I will always have that. My mind is rapidly adapting, and I am keeping up with the pace, and that's a good thing. Even though living in the moment isn't always a good thing, because that moment is filled with fear and panic and depression, it is essential to our education about life and feelings and actions and reactions, and how we can better deal with them all. We need to be tested in life much the same way kids need to be tested in school, to see how much we know, and to know when we are ready to learn some more.
So, even though living in the moment isn't always the happiest place to be, it is part of our growth, and needs to be felt and experienced and understood, and once that happens, we can move on to the next moment.
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)Amen! Well said. I agree. Its how we choose to deal with the "moment" that counts. I love your outlook. Your friend, TPlease log in to respond to this comment.hi t, thank you for responding and reading. outlook and reality sometimes clash, but i try to keep it as together as i can, as a whole. my best to you, suePlease log in to respond to this comment.
beautifully said..we are humans we do have free will.. but we are bound by many factors..sleep stress fear anger happiness..hunger..etc..we are indeed weak humans..and something we cannot CHANGE fully so we should adapt..I have IBS..and it gives me a very tough time sleeping eating anything..I m happier than a friend who has everything in life and once she gets lil cramps she feels suicidal..hahaa..we should look to the unfortunate and see how lucky we are..cherish life..take full use of our youth and life..for time dosent come back again..life is indeed beautil.. you have to unravel its seceret and learn satisfaction..which only comes from commune with God..relax forgive never judge..look at yourself.. and not others mistakes..take your time to breath deep..think twice ..thank you madam for this article its beautiful..one more things People should knows about that God is the ultimate wisdom people might be put in test or punished for something they will do in future, there are people who were purposely put into difficult test of disease and dire circumstances to see the beauty of the other world and not this material life..which is not parallel with the world of spirit..they are people who were put into very difficult situation to know the meaning of something..I always critcised my friends past..and what shamefull things she has done..looking at her from my perspective..one day she wanted to end her life..and I went to her house 90km hr all the way crying OH NO GOD PLEASE dont let it happen..I dont care what she did.. i dont want to be a reason for her death..and was screaming loudly crying ..imagining me seeing this poor girl dead..I said to my self what my problem with her past..am I going to be punished for every ones mistakes?? NO I would be deeply punished if she died THX God nothing happend..that situation was never b4..i never felt that feeling again.. thats why..relax enjoy your moment be kind , dont hurt any one..dnt let this material world control your life..and turn you into a mean monster.. instead stand against this wave and show every one that we are human we have consciousness and a beautiful heart to love each other not dominate and hurt each other..we are all weak we need each other we depend emotionally and WE need God..Good luck :) thanks again..Please log in to respond to this comment.hi samir, for some reason, i wasn't notified of your comment, i just got it. thank you for reading and responding. i appreciate you taking the time. best regards, sue thomPlease log in to respond to this comment.
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