Monday, March 29, 2010

The Gift of Time



"Every moment in Time is a Gift and a Blessing, not a Threat."
anon




I don't know about you but I am my own worst enemy when it comes to time. What I mean by this is that I am forever treating it like it's the traitor in my life, when in reality it is really all I have, and how much I have is a mystery. Perhaps that is why it is so easy to not live in the present time, but in the past or in the future. I read that 90% of our brain space is spent everywhere but in the "now", eclipsed by nagging feelings of regret and fears, resentments and questions, and the words "WHY" and "IF" are major contributors in this story called Time:
"If only I had done this instead of......."
"Why did this happen..........."
"If she would change, then I ......"
"Why can't I......."
"If I just had a little more time...."

WHY this.
IF that.
The 2 words that were put in people's vocabulary to drive them insane. These 2 words alone are enough to keep me out of the present tense of my life for decades. Those 2 words were paramount in the vocabulary of my thoughts until somewhat recently when they were banished, for the most part, by a lot of positive Present action on my own behalf.

If.
Why.
The number one reason I needed to outlaw those words from my inner lexicon was not the obvious acumen of too much living in the past and the future, although that certainly was a part of it. The main impetus to remove these 2 words was part of a greater picture of how I was living in my Present time. These 2 words were indicators that I was spending a whole lot of wasted moments in the cacophony of trying to change things and asking questions about circumstances of which I had no control over. My head was a constant ticker tape parade of everything but myself, everything that was outside of me, and a veritable world full of people and situations in which I had no dominion. Of course the crowning achievement of all of this was that I would get upset at myself because I had wasted so much time........

Where are my feet?
Right Here.
Right Now.
One Step at a time. This is how I learned to stop the endless noise in my mind, look around and be present in my life. When I'm here in Today, I am most happy. The dark chanting of the "Why's" and the "If's" is no longer clouding my life with things that are none of my business. I can walk through my days with the sunshine of the spirit that is all of our positive energies and be in silence and not feel alone. And Time, once my enemy, has become my Best Friend.

I have come to believe that it is a blessing to be present on this earth and that every moment, every day, no matter how good or even how bad, is essential to everything that makes up who I am....who WE are. Interacting and contributing, laughing and loving, wide awake in the Now and receiving the invaluable Gift of Time, now that's what I call Living!


The amazing photo is actually an incredible necklace from our very own Jill at Moonlight Beadworks! You can find it in her wondrous Shop on Etsy:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/moonlightbeadworks
My love to you all and have a wonderful week, right here, right now....
xoxo
Kristin

10 comments:

  1. Beautiful sentiments you have expressed so eloquently here!

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  2. Kristin, this is exactly what I needed to hear. After a topsy turvy day (grouchy mood, flat tire, power outage) you've set me to rights, and I've decided to console myself (and Joe) with fried chicken and home fries for dinner. Thank you for saving Monday for us. Again. xoxoxo Mollie

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  3. And here I was, feeling miserable and sorry for myself - and then I read your beautiful post. Thank you so much Kristin for sharing this, for reminding me how lucky I am, and inspiring me to get off my butt and stop wasting my precious time :)

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  4. You have an amazing way of looking at things, and we are all the beneficiaries of your wisdom. Thank you, Kristin, for another inspiring chapter.

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  5. Thoughtful words on the Tuesday. And that necklace is amazing!

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  6. I agree with these other comments... this was something I needed to hear, to be reminded of, especially this week. Normally I value my time as the greatest treasure, but this week, after being sick for so many days, I'm feeling all out of sorts and have been wishing I could DO something with my time. But I realize that just being, just breathing, just trying to recuperate, is something that has to take place, right here, right now. Thanks, Kristin.

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  7. Thank you Kristin for your lovely words.
    I wrote a lot of poetry when my
    mother was passing.
    I just wanted to share this one....

    Holding Moments

    My mind is starting to get it.
    It is telling me to let go
    and surrender to the minutia of life.
    This moment is the present,
    no past or future exists now.
    Only moments that pile up into memories
    that we hold in our hearts and minds.

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  8. Kristen, I'd like to come to your house, lay on your couch, and have a therapy session. How much do you charge? xxoo laura

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  9. once again kristin-- a beautifully insightful and inspiring post--

    thanks for the lovely reminders..
    XOXO
    kathi

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  10. beautiful and true words Kristin !
    Looking at the sky , passing clouds .... this calms me down to stay in the moment and rid myself of negative thought
    from Psalms > The heavens declare the glory of God
    it reminds me who holds the future and to trust Him

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