Don’t Miss This Moment—the Key to
Happiness
“Mommy,
hello please? Hello please?” the little girl repeated plaintively as she tugged
on her mother’s skirt as mom obliviously tapped on her cell phone.
The
invention of our hand held devices is a very mixed blessing! On the one hand,
we have the virtual world and relationships at our fingertips. Somebody can
Like you on Facebook!! The adrenaline hit that brings is addictive and draws us
in. On the other
hand, the real world and the relationships in front of us pass us by without notice.
The idea of “Be
Here Now” seems so elementary, but look around you. Is anyone in your line of
vision enjoying the present moment-the coffee in their hand, the smile on the
face of the clerk, the breeze that ruffles their hair? Or are they absorbed in
the otherness of their phone?
Are you?
As we
constantly look to “the next thing,” we miss relating to what IS. As a
therapist, I am constantly challenged to wake people up out of cyber-life and
into the challenge and joys of this moment. I have to remind them, that sitting
there with me, we are safe. We are fed. We are warm.
But maybe
your present moment isn’t so great. Maybe escaping into your phone seems
irresistible in the face of that divorce, that mean boss, or that medical
diagnosis.
Using avoidance only compounds the
current problem. The
decisions, the insight needed to make changes are lost when problems are
avoided by escaping into cyber world. If this
describes you, call me. I can help you face what you’re escaping with that
phone. Finding solutions or at least facing the pain of the issues is the way
to experience the life in front of you with freedom and peace. Don’t waste a
minute of your existence!
“Living in
the moment, living my life
Easy and
breezy, peace in my mind-
Peace in my
heart, peace in my soul
Wherever I’m
going, I’m already home.”
(Song,
Living in the Moment by Jason Mraz)