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A Brief Glimpse of the Present Moment

Lauren Grace Living

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A Brief Glimpse of the Present Moment

This past Sunday I was enjoying a leisurely morning. I had slept in, practiced some yoga, and now I was eating breakfast. Sitting at my kitchen table I was reading The Daily Love, while sipping coffee, and petting my cat Romeo who had hopped up in my lap. And that’s when it hit me, this moment was perfect. Everything about that moment was pure bliss. It was the feeling of gratitude, love, abundance, joy, and peace, all wrapped up into one. In that moment I wasn’t thinking about yesterday or tomorrow. In fact I wasn’t even thinking of what I had to do in the next 10 minutes. I was completely, 100% living in the Present Moment!

This feeling lasted for a few minutes until I ruined it by thinking I should write about this in my blog this week, what a great topic, let me jot this down. Then I was projected back into the future, back into my to-do list, and out of the present. And while I couldn’t seem to return to that state of bliss that I was just in, I did realize what had occurred. I had just experienced a brief glimpse of the present moment.

Living in the “Now” is a popular topic in the New Age/ Self Help community. Eckhart Tolle explains it best, “Realize deeply that the present moment is all you have. Make the NOW the primary focus of your life.” But how many of us are actually able to live in this elevated state? Especially in todays society where if we aren’t busy analyzing our past, we are focused on planning our future (or worrying about our future, more likely). How does one stay in the present moment if it seems so fleeting?

I tried to trace myself back to figure out what the thought process was that got me to that present state, and I believe it started with gratitude. As I sat there sipping my coffee, reading an inspirational blog, and petting my purring cat, I felt really grateful. I realized how beautiful that moment was and how absolutely perfect it was. And how nothing else mattered except that moment. I forgot about time, my agenda for the day, in fact I didn’t even think about refilling my coffee. I recognized the present for the miracle that it was, and I was going to appreciate every second of it.

Looking back on other such miracle moments I believe that gratitude has always been the key for me. My favorite present moment spot is at the beach. Especially when the weather is perfect and there are no screaming children around me. I am so grateful for the beautiful sand, the warm ocean, and the sunny blue sky, that I completely zone out into a state of bliss.

This past spring I went to visit my girlfriends back in NJ (shout out Bridget and Colleen!). There was one particular night where we were drinking wine, dancing to music videos, and laughing hysterically. It is one of my favorite memories, because I was completely in the moment. I was so enjoying their company and so grateful to be with them. I wasn’t thinking about how much I would miss them when I left the next day, or how cold it was (too cold for this Florida girl). I was simply present and happy.

Every time I see a Broadway show my mind is somehow transported into the present moment. I become completely captivated by all the theatrics and I leave all my worries and cares at the door. For me seeing a Broadway show is quite a treat and I am very grateful for the experience. I’m not going to waste a second of that show thinking about my to-do list.

Now obviously if I want to return to the present moment I can’t always just drive to the beach, hop on a plane to NJ, or pop into a Broadway show. I have to find a way in my every day hum drum life to stay in the Now. And I believe that gratitude is what will bring me there. Gratitude and breathing that is. As you’re reading this just pause, take a deep breath, feel grateful for this moment, and smile.

I know it sounds corny, but how often do we take every day moments like this for granted. When really, this moment right here is all we have, it’s all we are guaranteed. We are not promised tomorrow, we are not even promised 5 minutes from now. So if you are alive, appreciate it and feel it.

Now I think it’s unrealistic, if not impossible to stay in the present moment all the time. Maybe Buddha can do it, but for the rest of us I’m not so sure. And I don’t think we necessarily want to be. As human beings we like to plan, we like to dream, and we like to reminisce. But I know that I could go days or even weeks without checking into the present. It seems that these days my head is always 30 minutes ahead of me. So that’s why I am going to start checking in more often. When I wake up in the morning, and before I go to bed at night. When I’m stopped at a red light, or even when I’m stuck in traffic. I’ll just stop my racing mind for a second, breathe, smile, and take in the Now. And as I make a more conscious effort I believe that the present moment will be an easier place to reach and won’t be just a passing glimpse.

When was the last time you were truly in the Now? What could you do to bring yourself into the present moment more often?