Turning 60,
Part 2.
Experiencing the Present.
This past year I turned 60 years old.
Woohoo!
I know,
I'm lucky.
After all,
Not everyone gets here.
My older brother and sister did not.
They both passed away long ago.
So at the top of my list of experiencing is to acknowledge the fact that I have been given a gift.
Even those mornings when everything creaks and groans and getting out of bed takes longer than it used to,
I remember to be grateful.
Because I remember there are many who had hoped and planned for this time of life only to have it all end before they got here.
As part of experiencing the present,
I've learned to develop a loving relationship with my inner mentor.
The mentor seeks growth and expansion.
You have one too.
He or she is the counterpart to your inner critic.
They are there to expand your life.
The inner mentor seeks more what's unknown.
If you find that they've been a little too silent in the past,
Then this is an opportunity for you to learn to let them speak freely.
Become friends with your inner mentor because she is you.
As I experience the present,
I realize that my every breath is such a part of connecting to it.
So when I meditate or when I'm driving or walking the dog and I find my thoughts swirling elsewhere,
I have learned to instruct myself to take a deep breath,
Inhale and exhale,
And that brings me back to the present.
It's almost impossible when you focus on your breath and take time to notice it to not come into the present moment.
Did you know your brain cannot do two things at once?
If you focus on your breath,
Your brain can no longer focus on something else.
Then when I'm back in the moment,
I check in with my senses to make sure they're all attuned to the present with me,
Experiencing the colors,
The smells and sounds,
The warmth of the sun or the cold of nighttime.
They are all part of the tapestry of the present.
And then I remember to be grateful because this is another gift to me.
I make a silent promise to myself to remember this moment and I continue on.
Experiencing the present means do your best to remain open to what is unfolding around you and not get ahead of yourself or tumble down a rabbit hole of longing,
Doubt or worry.
Buddha has said that desire is the root cause of all suffering and the nature of desire is unquenchable.
Meaning you will never achieve what you wish for because once you have it,
You want something else.
What a terrible existence to allow longing and desire to rob us of the limited time and energy we have.
I don't always want what is best for me.
Of course,
Most of the time I'm not actively seeking out things that are bad for me.
I seek them because they look good from where I'm standing at that moment.
But I don't know the outcome.
As I learn to give up longing for what I don't have,
I'm learning to embrace the present and focus and have gratitude for what I do have.
And so here's probably the biggest lesson in learning to experience the present.
Any time spent trying to control an outcome is time wasted.
Learn to let events unfold naturally.
As long as you embrace the notion that the universe always conspires in your favor and that everything works out for the best,
What would you have to worry about?
Health is something that I've always taken for granted.
Now it's something I think about.
I'm lucky I'm a lifelong athlete and have benefited from good genes and fairly good living.
Maybe you're someone who's not taken as good care of himself or herself as you could have.
Maybe genetics or an event have brought health struggles to the forefront for you.
No matter the situation,
As long as you're still living,
It's not too late.
And in fact,
For anyone listening who is younger,
I would say it's never too soon to love your physical body.
What you put in it and what you put it through,
It all matters in the end.
There is no room for grudges in the present.
Leave them in the past.
Also release anyone and anything that doesn't serve you.
Sometimes reconciliation is not possible and no one is going to change for you.
They will only change for themselves.
Release your negative energy toward that person or event.
Just let it go.
This is your time designed for you and by you.
Some days may be better than others and that's okay.
Even the hard days are teachers.
Maybe you're 60 or will soon turn that age.
Maybe you're only halfway there seeking pearls of wisdom from an older soul.
But whatever brought you to this audio,
This is what I would say to you.
Your time here is finite.
In fact,
Each day that passes is one less day that you have.
So no matter where you are in your journey,
Remember it is not the destination on any given day that matters.
It's the path you choose to get there and the footfalls you made along the way.
Ultimately,
At the end of your days,
To have lived each and every one with some amount of gratitude and a desire to spark joy will have made the trip more worthwhile.
