Dear friends;
We talk about being in the moment, living consciously, staying mindful.
But do we? Do we really?
Yesterday afternoon, I went for a walk with my little girl. She had fallen asleep in my arms and as I put her into her pram, I was careful not to disturb her. Like her mother, my daughter is not a great napper. Yesterday, however, she briefly opened her eyes, breathed a contented sigh and fell back asleep.
The sun was setting over the ocean as I happily marched along, enjoying the cool breeze. I watched the rollerbladers and cyclists around me while pushing the stroller towards the mountains, sometimes wishing that I too could zip along at their speed.
My mind wandered: I thought about all the things I need to get done, the people I need to call, my clients, my writing, the next few weeks, our return to the UK and the coming year.
When Vida woke up a few minutes later wanting to get out of her seat and into my arms, I wished she could wait a little bit. Just until we got back to the bridge under which it would be easier to hold her and push the buggy with one hand.
But children – and I’m talking about a six-month-old – don’t understand the concept of waiting or convenience. They don’t think “maybe I’ll do this now, and get it over with.” They don’t procrastinate or worry about things they have yet to experience. And so my baby girl wanted what she wanted RIGHT NOW.
She is truly in the moment.
Right now she is hungry. Right now she is tired. Right now she is happy. And she is not too busy anticipating her next thought, emotion, or the upcoming few days to truly feel whatever is happening.
Worrying about next week won’t make next week not occur the way it’s supposed to. What worrying about next week will do, however, is make us miss the right here and right now.
As the sky turned countless shades of pinks, purple and blues, Vida and I sat on a bench watching the sun disappear into the ocean. She turned to give me the most beautiful of smiles and squeaked with delight when a bird flew overhead.
Nothing mattered right then except holding my little girl as we watched the waves and the last rays of sun.
With love,
Gabriela
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