The Moment At Hand

Last Thursday I found myself learning something profound from a casual interaction with my friend and co-worker John. Ever since I can remember I have been constantly setting up events, goals, and deadlines to took forward to. I have always found ways to fill the void of what most people call “free time” or “downtime”. I don’t know how to relax to me the concept is foreign and almost frightening.   My life revolves around set destinations. In my life the present moment is just another obstacle along my journey to “the promised land”.

As John and I sat on shift at an empty TCU Rec. Rock Wall I made a comment about how I can’t stand just sitting around.  John didn’t quite understand what I meant by my comment so I begun to explain…  I grew up in LA where there is always some thing to do, some place to go, someone to see; people are constantly moving.  Those that fail to jump out of bed and hit the ground running day after day in a city where things are so costly and standards are set so high will surely never find success.  As I finished explaining my mentality and reasons behind my madness John laughed and said “dude that’s actually kind of sad that you aren’t able to enjoy the time that you currently have”.  He then went on to explaining that un like myself who grew up in a large metropolis he comes from a small suburb of Memphis Tennessee.  His town offers little to do for its residence and not much is expected.  He describe how sometimes the highlight of his weekend would be him and his friends building a shelf or just siting by a creek the whole afternoon.  For John its not so important as to what is getting done at the present time, but rather how much you are enjoying yourself currently.  He doesn’t stress out over making plans or meeting deadlines because from his eyes you just waste your time when you stress over things you cannot currently change.

 The contrasts we found in our upbringings digressed into a long conversation the helped me understand and appreciate the fundamental value of down time.  As John put it “no one can constantly be going at 110% all the time your eventually going to burn out.” Taking the time to step back and relax is just as important as working hard.

I hate watching TV. I get depressed when I am not doing anything productive. I have never learned how to cope with relaxation. Even when I am doing things that people associate with relaxation I begin to think “what I am doing to make progress in my life”. My mind as I go to bed is filled about my agenda for the next day. I micro manage my life. But all this is wrong! It’s unhealthy to live and stress about the future the way I do. John taught me profound lesson that opened my eyes. You have to find value in appreciating, enjoying and ultimately embracing the moment at hand.

“Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. And today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.”- Alice Morse Earle (Yes that was in Kung Fu Panda also.)