“Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have.”

Eckhart Tolle

I sat on my deck, pen and hand and notebook open on my lap … seeking words. A butterfly soared by. I watched.

I came home stressed from work and longed for a bit of quiet. My kids came to share their days with me. We made dinner together.

I lay in bed, awake at 4:01am, and heard the first bird song. I listened.

I sat across from a friend, watching him mute his phone and turn it over. We talked and laughed.

I held the pose in yoga today, sweat dripping down my face and falling onto my mat. I shook as I focused on my breath.

In this technology obsessed world, it’s more difficult to stay “in the moment.” To be present is to be still, enjoying what is happening right then and there. Releasing goals and the pre-occupation with outcomes. Our cell phones make us accessible at every second of the day and in every place we go, distracting us with a combination of chatter as well as an overwhelming wealth of both useful and useless information.

But …

As I sat on the deck, hoping to write, I observed the butterfly.

As I chopped veggies with my kids, tensions disappeared.

As I lay in my bed, hoping to sleep, I listened to the music of nature.

As I sat with my friend — cell phone in my purse, I enjoyed words and connection.

As I held my pose in yoga, I grew stronger in mind, body and spirit.

This is the moment. You may be on your way somewhere, but, what you do along the way is as important as what you do when you get there.

It’s easy on the road to pick up my phone when I hear the ping of a text. It’s easy to sit at a red light and check Facebook or email. It’s harder to just drive. It’s harder to pay attention when so many distractions are readily accessible to make the drive home more interesting.

I’m bothered when I sit in restaurants and watch families and friends on their devices, not present in their surroundings. Not enjoying their now. Not enjoying their time with the people sitting in front of them. Because that moment cannot be DVR’d to experience or “watch” later. That friend cannot be downloaded at a more convenient time when you’re done tweeting or texting. There is no instant replay or streaming service to support human companionship.

THIS moment cannot be put on hold. Each moment offers us opportunities to experience something we may never encounter again. THIS moment arises one time and what you choose to do with it is up to you. It’s more difficult than ever to truly connect with another human being. We’re so caught up in posting status updates and playing with Snapchat filters that we can fail to notice and appreciate the person sitting before us. We can fail to make the most of these fleeting moments of connection that come our way.

In my Yoga class, my mind gets busy. There’s a lot of chatter going on! I can’t stop that … I don’t try. See, it’s okay because I let go of those thoughts that are seeking to distract me and watch them float down the river, carrying challenges, difficult people, anxieties, and personal concerns along with them.

In my Yoga class, I just have to take one pose at a time. And, if it gets too challenging, I move into Child’s Pose. No judgment. No prize for getting to Shavasana first.

Day by day, there are times when my words fail me as I seek for them to be profound or relevant — to choose them wisely in order to influence or inspire or intrigue another. In those moments, I’m more focused on the outcome than the message itself.

There are times I can’t sleep and busy thoughts and worries run through my mind.

There are times I’m worn out from a day and just want to sit down and shut down.

There are time I find myself riddled with anxiety and don’t know why.

There are times the flows are harder and I fall.

But … those are my moments. And if I truly want to Be Present, I have to accept them and recognize that — in the classic words of Doris Day — “Que sera sera.”

THIS is the moment. Whatever will be, will be. Use the time wisely.

                                                                                                        Jenni