It’s all downhill when you hit 30
Me – trying to get a rise out of my brother-in-law
Time – then and now
Time is a mysterious thing, the past, present and future. Part of living in the present is also thinking about the future – the plans and sacrifices that we need to make. We want to, as best as we can, sacrifice time now to ensure that we are healthy and wealthy in the future. That might mean turning down a social outing to go to the gym. It might mean not going to that new restaurant so a bit more goes into the savings each week. Our biggest risk though is that we don’t operate enough in the moment. Because the reality is that my best time is now. My best time is right now, this instant.
I think the old adage holds true. Don’t sacrifice too much of the present (time) for something in the future (money), which is supposed to give you all the time in the world. It may very well lead to lots of time in the form of retirement, but we also need to consider what we lose today. Today is the only day that I am in the early stages of my marriage. Today is the only day that my body is ‘young enough’ for a big adventurous pursuit. I have no doubt I’ll be healthy when I’m in my eighties, and I know I won’t be able to get up a mountain like the ‘old days.’
We can’t waste or sacrifice all of our present. Now is the easiest it will be to go on a hike, go climbing, play with children. All of that gets harder as we age. As I age.
The bliss of a morning coffee
I’ve always enjoyed my morning coffee ☕️. These days, it’s a great way to shift focus after the gym or walk. I sit outside under the patio, write and read, listen to the birds, and sip my coffee – really paying attention to the taste of my chosen flavour (today is a Christmas fruit flavour). It pulls me into the present. It continues to set the day up to be a great one.
When I was on oversees adventures, even though I was excited about the next mountain or climb to conquer, my morning coffee always grounded me (pun is intended). It would bring me back in to the immediate moment, surrounded by friends, or colleagues and students. We were in some spectacular places, and I was able to be present in them to soak it in, rather than quickly trying to get to the end/reach the objective.
Cause the truth about it is, it all goes by real quick
Jordan Davis – Buy Dirt lyrics
Be present
We need to have things within our day that we can be present in. For me, it’s my morning coffee. It’s time with my wife. Being immersed in a video game, book, or a podcast. There are times to let the mind wander too – like connecting ideas during rest periods at the gym. Something we all need to get better as is being focused and present in what we are doing.
I can’t just be wishing the days away to the next milestone – the weekend, the upcoming holiday. I have all of this time in between that we should also be enjoying and making something of. If we sacrifice time now for lots of money in the future, who even says that you’ll be able to enjoy it? If I am unable to enjoy little things now, how will I be able to enjoy expense things later?
I’m focused on being present and being part of the moment. Of finding that balance of being in the moment and sacrificing for the future. It’s a work in progress. I’m happy with where things are, and where I can improve. For now, it’s another morning. I sit outside on the patio, coffee in hand, enjoying the moment, listening to the birds chirp.