now

"The tasks are done and the tears are shed. Yesterday's errors let yesterday cover; Yesterday's wounds, which smarted and bled, Are healed with the healing that night has shed." - Sarah Woosley

A new day is dawning, and a new chapter in my life begins. It is said that endings are always beginnings. And, that nothing begins without an ending. As I enter this new beginning, I do not know what to expect. I do not know what turn of events will unfold. But, I do have the experiences from the past. That's what we take with us. We take what we have gained, accumulated, and stored in our collection. It is this precious experience that leaves open possibilities for the future. Some would call it wisdom.

There is a cliche, but it contains a profound truth. That cliche is that the past is done, the future isn't here yet, so all we have is the present. At first glance, it seems like fodder for refridgerator magnets. However, a lesson I take from this is a deep and altering one. The past, as I dwell on it, is nothing more than a collection of things that happened in the moment. The future I worry about so much is nothing but an experience in the moment that I am anticipating.

So, that leaves me with reality. The reality that the only thing that exists is right now. Right now, in this moment, is the only true reality. This very second of breathing, heart beating, and being alive is the only second that is real. As seasons change in nature, we are all riding along in the moment, experiencing it second by second.

That being said, I suppose I should use the moment to push forward. I can plan, anticipate, and concern myself with the future. At the same time, I can worry about the past. I can beat myself up over it. I can dwell on its mediocrity. But, I must actively force myself to be aware of the moment. In this moment, I learn who I am. I learn why I feel. Many truths can be brought to the surface if one slows down to a place where they may contemplate this profound "now".

I don't know what the future will bring in the coming months. But, I am more dedicated than ever to making the "now" better.