THIS PRECIOUS MOMENT

I had a very wise teacher once who gave me a wonderful key to happiness. She said, “When you become hungry, the meal has begun.”
She meant, of course, that we can choose to be more present to the small moments of each part of our lives from the very thought or idea of an action to its completion, whether while taking nourishment into our bodies, or in preparing for a significant event.  Have you ever noticed how infrequently your body and your mind are in the same place at the same time? So often we are doing one thing and thinking, planning, reminiscing, imagining some other reality!
We are now approaching the holiday season. For many people this is not a time of enjoyment and pleasure, but a time of stress and hectic “doing”.
So much of the joy that is available to us is lost in the way we do what we do at this time of year. Frequently, we are living more in the future than in the actual present moment.
How often do we live in the “When…then” philosophy of life?
“When I am finished shopping and cooking, then I will enjoy the season.”
“When I get this tree decorated, then I will feel better.”
“When I have it all wrapped and sent, then I will relax and enjoy myself.”
Hmmm. What is wrong with this picture? What is missing here?
The moment!!
When we live in the future, when we plan for a wonderful life ‘someday’, when we imagine how wonderful it will be ‘when’, we are missing the preciousness of this very moment.
Marianne Williamson, an author, wrote that a miracle is simply a shift in our perception.
If this were so, what would be the miracle here?
Perhaps it would be to know that this very day is the most precious of our lives, no matter what it holds; maybe to realize that all the preparations for the holidays can be as joyful and significant as the day itself.
If we save all our enjoyment of a holiday for that magic moment when “it is all done” we miss an extraordinary opportunity to enjoy the richness of each moment of planning and creating the small events that make the whole. Instead, we actually feel stressed out, and then let down when “The Day” arrives, often feeling disappointed, exhausted or blue.
To reprogram ourselves can be a challenge, yet it can be done. The first step is to use a joy filter for each part of your life.
Ask yourself when engaging in an activity, “Does this bring me joy? If not, how can I do it in a way that would?”
We speak of the spirit of the holidays, yet for many the spirit seems lost, not available for our connection.
Start by asking yourself what you can let go of that is something you do not really want to do. What traditions might not be as important as not doing them would be?
Make each small task, activity, or event an expression of your connection to the holiday spirit and not something to get through so you can then relax and have fun.
Being mindful of each precious moment, instead of having a  “mind-full” of other thoughts, can make a tremendous difference in the way you experience and remember the holidays in your home.
Give it a try this year. Take a deep breath, focus on what is right in front of you, be with each step as if it were an end in itself. Then enjoy a relaxing and spirit filled holiday season.

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