Do you realize it's been four and a half years since the turn of the millennium? We anticipated that big New Year's Eve like no other, and now it's quickly fading into history. I'll bet you can think of dozens of events that seem like only yesterday, but were actually years ago. On my fortieth birthday, which, by the way, seems like only yesterday, my older sister gave me a small pillow that says, "Once you're over the hill you pick up speed."
I'm sure that psychologists and sociologists have logical explanations for this passing of time at ever increasing speed. Personally I think it's a combination of our high-speed lifestyle and the intense barrage of external events, everything from birthdays and anniversaries, to deadliness, to email and correspondence that needs a response, to meetings and appointments and, of course, the daily onslaught of news from around the world-most of it distressing. Taken together our brain cells get overcrowded, we become mildly anxious and life becomes a blur.
I think I've found a way to stop time.
I've been using my little trick lately because I love summer. I don't just love it; I can barely stand to go indoors when the sun is shinning. I want to make time stand still so I can capture the best of these few precious weeks. I want to be able to pull these moments out and use them next winter, when I'm most in need of a summer "fix."
Here's how it works: The next time you're in a space where you are physically comfortable, your mood is neutral to good, and your surroundings are pleasant, I want you to become hyper-focused on the moment. Savor all that is positive. Use your senses. What do you see? What do you year? How does the air feel on your skin? Close your eyes and think about what makes this moment perfect. Now hold the moment and relax your body. Take a deep breath. Appreciate what is right with your world in that tiny slice of time. Think of this as taking a mental photograph.
Oddly enough the first perfect moment I collected was a on a bitter cold night, shortly before Christmas, perhaps three years ago. We were at an amusement park with two grandchildren when I was overcome by a sense of peace. Even though I was in the midst of laughter and chaos, my mind took a detour into a private space. For a few seconds I saw all that was right, all that was perfect. I have wondered since how to get back to that tranquil place.
Then a few weeks ago, when I was faced with many houseguests and a chaotic weekend, I decided to work seriously at collecting more moments. I found that I was able to collect these moments in almost any circumstance, even in the midst of a crowd. All that is required is the will to be grateful, the intention to savor and the discipline to hyper-focus for a brief time.
What's the big deal about the present moment?
Eckhart Tolle, author of the bestseller "The Power of Now" says, "The more you are focused on time - past and future - the more you miss the Now, the most precious thing there is." He goes on to say, "We are so busy getting to the future that the present is reduced to a means of getting there." Sound familiar? The result is that we miss the best moments of our lives, those filled with love and contentment.
I decided to test my newfound ability to stop time during a particularly stressful afternoon. It seemed that nothing was going right, and my anxiety level was way up there. Usually at times like that I find it hard to concentrate, but I made up my mind to collect a perfect moment. I stretched out near a window. There was a warm breeze streaming in, and I could hear a summer shower pinging the roof. I closed my eyes and slipped into my private space where only gratitude is allowed. The moment I collected was perfect! Later I found I was relaxed and ready to go back to work.
How many perfect moments will you collect this month?
The nice thing about perfect moments is that you can store them for future use. My weekend of houseguests is a collection of perfect moments. I can relish them one at a time for years to come. If I hadn't made the effort to collect those moments, it would have been a blur with nothing to savor.
Now it's your turn. Create your private space, where only gratitude and savoring are allowed. Collecting perfect moments takes practice. I've found that by collecting one perfect moment every day I get into the habit. Those moments are everywhere. All you have to do is break your attachment to time and allow yourself the luxury of relishing the present. Don't be like Lucy. Live your life one delicious bite at a time.
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