I was recently talking with a young man who asked me a very profound question given my life threatening disease. He asked; "What have you learned about life, or what priority has shifted in your life since your diagnosis?" I was first blown away that someone 22 years old would even ask me this thought provoking question. As I pondered his question for a moment, it didn't take long for me to pinpoint one area of my life that certainly shifted, and that was to make an intentional effort to live my life in the present.
So often we spend our time thinking about the past, or looking to the future when life is actually happening right now and in the present. We can certainly learn from the past, and having goals is important, but the "present" is truly your life. Moments are made in the present and necessary to make memories worth remembering. The future is actually nothing but a gamble at best. Sure, we can and should set goals and work toward what we wish to achieve, but the reality is that we cannot really know our future... unless we write for The Simpsons. Just kidding. Do I recommend that we just carelessly walk through life without mapping out goals and desires. Of course not. We need to dream big. What I am suggesting is that we spend more time engaged in the present moment and especially when we are with others. This has been made difficult with the advent of technology that is always calling us like sirens from the oceans depths. Do we truly recognize what a miracle and blessing it is to be alive and breathing, able to communicate with another human being, to share ideas, listen to stories, help those in trouble, demonstrate compassion, to laugh, cry and love? In order to receive and experience this tremendous honor called life we must be willing to move our eyes from the mirror that keeps US as the primary focus in life, and shift our eyes and attention onto OTHERS. By default, we seem to be quite the self-centered creature.
Living in the present requires that we turn off, or block out, the distractions hounding for our attention. It requires a recognition that today could just be your last day of life on this planet. We should plan like we are going to live to be 100, and live like today may be the last day of life. Stop taking for granted your health, your family, your friends, your job, your hobbies, your talents and your freedom. Begin living a life that is engaged in the people and activities that happen right before you and experience renewed passion and a rich and fulfilling life. I believe this is how life was intended to live all along, but somewhere along the way our lives and priorities were hijacked by complicated, warped philosophies and counterfeit pleasures. A very wise man once wrote;"So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad." King Solomon suggests that we live today and enjoy life right now because we will work and toil often, and we don't really know what tomorrow will hold.
My hope for you is that you can live your life with passion and joy, and that you make a difference in someone else's life. That you don't miss opportunities to share fellowship and laughter with friends and family. That you meet new people and learn from them. I hope you recognize the tremendous gift of playing with a child, or listening to the amazing story shared by a senior adult. Please don't miss the beauty of this planet. Take time to study the detail in a butterfly wing. Sit and listen to the orchestra of insects on a summer evening, or the harmonies of the wind as it blows through the mountain forest on a winters day. Tell the people you love what they mean to you now and often. Don't be lazy with your life either. It takes energy, intentionality, self discipline, faith, courage and a little grit to do life well. Attempt stuff the whole world hasn't already done. Anyone can sit in front of a TV and be fed a heaping helping of crap. But not many can split their own arrow with their second shot. Turn off the dang TV and live your own life. TV is fake y'all! Be great at something. Write your own unique story. Live YOUR life... today!
So, if you scroll back up and look closely at the photo of that wrist watch you will notice that it only displays the present time. The young man who asked me that profound question had walked away for about thirty minutes and returned with that watch. He wanted me to have it because of what I had shared about living in the present. I thanked him for his thoughtful gift. He thanked me for the gift I had given him. "But I didn't give you a gift", I replied. He said, "Oh yes you did. You gave me wisdom and your time". Now that young man knew how to live in the present!