Living in a Hurry Keeps Us from Truly Living
We often live in a hurry, constantly thinking about what’s next. We live connected to “I have to” or “I must.” Disconnected from ourselves and everything that surrounds us. Stand up, look, feel. You are here right now — enjoy it.
There’s a legend about the “right now.” It says that, ages ago, humans lived along with birds called “Now”. They lived their lives next to them, listening to their songs.
Every time the humans saw a beautiful landscape, talked with someone, or felt something special, one of the birds pecked them on the head and sang. That’s how the people became aware of the present. They enjoyed the present and they were happy.
The Now birds fed on the emotions those moments created in the humans. They got the humans to live more intense lives, even without the technology we have today. Eventually, a day came when something changed and people began to live with other birds. One had black feathers (the Before), and one had white plumage (the After).
Little by little, the Now birds lost their song until, eventually, they were barely singing at all. The moments of awareness went away. However, the legend of the Now birds doesn’t end here. Although they no longer fly around us and their song lost its strength, they continue to live in each and every one of us, waiting for us to become aware of the present.
“Some say that, if we close our eyes, breathe deeply, and smile, we can feel in our hearts and minds the singing and pecking of the Now birds.”
-Oscar Soria-
Hurry is never good
We go through live scurrying from one place to another, controlled by schedules, obligations, meetings. Even children have packed schedules. We’ve all said at one point “there’s just not enough hours in the day.”
Life should not be this way. Life should be giving. It’s true that many times life hands us surprises, but there are still a lot of other times when we find what we were looking for.
So, if I can’t change my schedule, I’ll have to change my way of looking at it. I have to become aware of my inner “now” and truly be where I am. I have to connect with my mind and body and not be in a hurry or thinking about the future.
“The after bird” or the “whispers of the past” can’t drown out the voice of our immediate consciousness. Let’s make an effort to bring to mind that song of the Now and value each moment. Think about how the more we feed it, the more it will be with us.
Live in and connect with the present
Each day is a new beginning, an opportunity to live another present. To keep the memory of yesterday but still be surprised by its present aftermath. Recording memories requires living them and then moving with them. If I feel the present, I will make stronger memories.
Instead, if I live in a hurry, without stopping to feel each moment, I miss the opportunity to observe where I am. To know how I’m feeling. To hear the sounds around me and understand why I feel the way I do. Most importantly, I need to take time to know if I am where I want to be.
I connect… stop and feel… get excited. I smile and I record these moments in my memory. I live that exact moment. Now, I can continue with the rest. Living near the now pushes us to enjoy every moment. Time does not exist without me. I am the one who gives meaning to time. If we manage to become aware of ourselves in every moment, we can take advantage of every second.