Being There and Not Present

The Powerful Paragraph

I was recently asked to recount my favorite memory from the summer. After taking a few moments to think, I found that I really struggled to identify any memories. Of course, I had some good times this summer, but they each seemed clouded by something that was going on around the event. Something that overshadowed it and made it less of a “favorite” memory than some of my others. After journaling about this upsetting revelation, I realized that what I was truly struggling with was the ability to remain present. I did a lot of fun things this past summer, but I was always worried about something. Is the dog okay at home? Should I be working on my writing instead? Did I accomplish enough today to deserve this break? My mind wandered and took me away from the moment, and in doing so, I enjoyed those moments less. For the past few weeks, I’ve been practicing staying present, and any time a thought or worry enters my mind, I acknowledge its presence and agree to address it later - after I’ve had my moment. The difference has been incredible, and I’ve found myself leaning more heavily into joy.