Appreciating the Gift of the Now
In this present world, a lot of people are most commonly concerned about tomorrow - all hustles, bustles, and struggles, for what they hope to achieve in the future or what tomorrow holds. However, they fail to take notice or appreciate the present moment, which actually holds the key to the future. A lot of people move so quickly and chase the next big thing - for example, hoping for a new promotion, a new project, the perfect time, etc, but they tend to miss out of the beauty and opportunities that lie in the present moment. Appreciating the now is a very powerful habit that can make you live a happier, less stressed, and fulfilled life.
The past has passed, the future you want may not even be guaranteed the way you want it, but the present is the only moment you have control of, so make it count. It is in the present that life happens. Focus more on living the moment, than worrying over a highly uncertain future. By appreciating the present, you tend to realign your mind to focus more on what truly matters - which are the little things that you may have been overlooking. There are lots of things in the now that you should be appreciative of. What you have now, a lot of others are hoping to get just a bit of it, so stop for a moment to appreciate what you have.
It is true that you are to look forward to tomorrow, and make plans for the future, but you should not overlook the present. The truth is that it is the present moment that gives birth to the future moment. You have to live the moment and appreciate it, so that you will be qualified to see the next. Today is a gift and should to treated well as a gift. You may have the same time with someone else, but you have to see it as a gift from nature to you. It is what you do with your time, and how you have lived in the now that will become your own gift back to nature.
A friend of mine once told me about his sad story, and I realized that a lot of people focus on tomorrow, but miss the beautiful opportunity to enjoy the present moment that matters. He got a bank work in Lagos. All he was focused on was to meet his target, putting extra work, being concerned about what will happen tomorrow, the next opportunity. All these took his focus away from appreciating what he had at the present. The hopes to surpass his target and set a milestone record consumed him so much that he did not even spend much time with his family nor was he involved in the affairs of home. They sent a message to him from their village to inform him that his father was ill. He was busy with work, in the hopes of achieving his target. One day, he got a news that his father passed. It broke him, but even sadder was the fact he did not see him for more than 1year before he passed. Imagine throwing away what you have at hand while looking for what you want. So sad.
It is worthy to note that appreciating or enjoying the moment does not mean giving up on your goals or aspirations. But it means acknowledging the blessings that you have today, while you are putting efforts for a better tomorrow. That is, finding Joy in the process and the journey, not just being focused on the destination. When you appreciate the journey, it will sustain you and help you to arrive at the destination. By appreciating the moment, you also appreciate the people who have made the moment worthwhile - friends, family, loved ones, acquaintances, etc. All these are part of what make the moment adorable.
You do not have to have a grand event to start appreciating the present. I remember a time when a friend told me that there are clothes he reserves to be worn only on special days, but he forgot that everyday can be special if you make it so. Every morning you wake up, just remind yourself that it is a gift and a special day. So take that step, make that move, go on that vacation, wear that beautiful cloth, eat that amazing meal. Remember; focus more on living the moment (which you can control), than worrying over a future (which is uncertain).
Thanks for reading
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