Everywhere people talk about the importance of living life in the now. Life is a series of moments called now. Infact the better you make your now the better the quality of your life is.
You know celebrating life moment by moment, take the tough parts not as punishment, but as opportunities to grow. And take the sweet stretches not as rewards, but as opportunities to enjoy life. To be happy, to be grateful. It’s also more realistic.
Let me share a story.
Once upon a time there was a woman who had been lost in the desert for three whole days without water. Just as she was about to collapse, she saw what appeared to be a lake just a few hundred yards in front of her. “Could it be? Or is it just a mirage?” she thought to herself.
With the last bit of strength, she could muster, she staggered toward the lake and quickly learned that her prayers had been answered: it was no mirage—it was indeed a large, spring-fed lake full of fresh water—more fresh water than she could ever drink in her lifetime. Yet while she was literally dying of thirst, she couldn’t bring herself to drink the water. She simply stood by the water’s edge and stared down at it.
There was a kind passer-by riding on a camel from a nearby desert town who was watching the woman’s bizarre behaviour. She was looking extremely tired and exhausted. He got off his camel, walked up to the thirsty woman and asked, “Why don’t you have a drink, ma’am?”
She looked up at the man with an exhausted, distraught expression across her face and tears welling up in her eyes. “I am dying of thirst,” she said, “But there is way too much water here in this lake to drink. No matter what I do, I can’t possibly finish it all.”
The passer-by smiled, bent down, scooped some water up with his hands, lifted it to the woman’s mouth and said, “Ma’am, your opportunity right now, and as you move forward throughout the rest of your life, is to understand that you don’t have to drink the whole lake to quench your thirst. You can simply take one sip. Just one small sip… and then another if you choose. Focus only on the mouthful in front of you, and all your anxiety, fear and overwhelm about the rest will gradually fade.”
It is like that for us isn’t it?
Challenge yourself throughout the day to focus solely on the sip (task, step, etc.) you’re actually taking.
Honestly, that’s all life is—small, positive actions that you take moment by moment, and then one day when you look back it all adds up to something worthwhile—something that’s often far better, and different, than what you had imagined when you started.
So, the next time you feel overwhelmed, anxious or scared learn to take a deep breath and in that moment slow down even if it’s for a few seconds. So that’s how it’s in life too. Whether it’s a sad moment or a happy moment. Live it. If it means you want to jump with joy because you want to celebrate something so be it or if you want just be quiet and be with yourself. So be it. The fact is
Happiness is found in the seemingly small – insignificant moments that make up our life
