I used to be one of those people who said, ‘I’m not happy unless I’m busy.’ What I really meant was, ‘I’m not happy, so I’ll just keep busy to distract myself.’ Once I came to this realization, it didn’t take me long to try and change my approach to life. It has been a long journey, one of soul searching and much unpacking, but I am starting to realize just how much beauty lies in simplicity. The most beautiful times I have with my children are when I don’t have an agenda of my own, or things I need to get done, but rather sit with them on the floor and play together. These moments are caught up in the days when time seems to pass quickly and we are happy together. We are happy because we are together. We are fully together.
What was missing in my hurried approach to life was my ability to be fully present in the moment. I was trying to pack in so many moments that I didn’t have enough time to enjoy any of them. Now that my journey is well underway, I can clearly see that it is only when I’m present in the moment that I can truly experience happiness. This slowing of self has allowed me to appreciate the beauty that is. The busyness was a subtle form of procrastination, holding me back from what I really wanted to be doing…living fully. I have had to learn to edit, to focus on just one link of the chain at a time. Sometimes this seems nearly impossible. I am still working at mindfulness, and think I always will. My goal is to live intentionally, one moment at a time.
Life is a succession of moments. To live each one is to succeed.
~Corita Kent
