Remembering The Good Ole Days

We have a tendency...
and I mean a big tendency, as humans,
to look at the past with nostalgia.
The passing of time makes what's behind us seem all the more sweet.
We largely forget the bad and cling to the good parts of our history (or herstory).


And yet, our world is built to run in only one direction...
forward....
like a car with no transmission or accelerator.
Here, stuck in the middle of what's ahead and what's behind,
is where life actually happens.


We sit in the driver's seat with the past in our rear view mirror
and the future in front of the windshield,
and we are unable to speed up or slow down,
much less throw ourselves into reverse.


And yet, we spend so much of our mental energy on everything but the here and now.
We either lament or long for the past.
We either look forward to or worry about the future.
We sit in the driver's seat while the here and now passes by us...
 out our side window,
and we forget to look... to observe... 
to roll down the window and appreciate what is all around us with all of our senses.
Here and Now.


There have been so many books written on the subject of 
"living in the now"
"being present"
and a baker's dozen ways to express the same idea.

Quite simply...
These are the good ole days!


This is all we get.
This.
This moment, right now is all we have.
Each moment that passes is gone forever.


I can't remember when I realized this fact of life
and incorporated it into my being.
I know it was not that long ago... the wisdom of age.


Oh, we can all say we know this to be true,
but how many of us live this idea?


How many of us have dropped fear from our psyche.
How many of us have truly embraced the present moment
without judgement of its worth,
but embraced it as all we truly have...
 and appreciated the beauty in that.

Wiping away all of the useless chatter of our brains
and embracing the present moment takes practice.
It takes the mobilization of all of our senses 
and the quieting of our thoughts.


It requires us to be "of" the world instead of being "in" the world.


Often times, when I am spending moments with my animals,
or my loved ones,
 or when I am alone and surrounded by the peace and quiet of nature,
I remind myself that, indeed,
these ARE the good ole days.

I also remind myself that I am not entitled to any of this...
that this life is a gift....
the most precious of gifts.


You may have noticed that today's photos have nothing to do with 
today's post.... except for the fact that they represent "today."

If you were lucky enough to have opened your eyes this morning...
go have yourself the perfect day...
remembering that to hold a day-
with gratitude for the day
 and without judgement of the day-
 will make it a perfect day.

Just bee!


This is what I think of as the Tao of the Dog.
This is why dogs are always happy.
They are the embodiment of "living in the moment".


Comments

colleen said…
Bev, I absolutely love this post. I think you should post it again at random times. I do try to "live in the now" (it probably is my age and a cancer diagnosis a few years back). When my mind starts to wander I tell myself...NO I'm not going there!!...sometimes I've found myself saying this out loud. The chatter in our brains sure can upset the apple cart. My granddaughter will say, "Nan, you are the best"...This morning I'm saying, Bev, you are the best. xoxoxoxo
Cappy said…
I like this sentiment. Another way to put it is "living the dash." Headstones have mm/dd/yyyy (dash) mm/dd/yyyy. Live that dash! :-)
SusieK said…
Well said sweet lady!!
daisy g said…
I couldn't agree more. Joel Salatin, when talking about cows said the same thing. They only live for the now. There is nothing else for them. So, my mantra is "Be Here Now. Be a Cow." It always works to bring me right back to here and now.

Blessings!
Anonymous said…
Good points!
Margy said…
So simply said yet so powerful. I love your blog!
This N That said…
well said...I guess what we always have is our memories. Yesterday is a memory. Today and tomorrow will become one.hug………
Marcia LaRue said…
So true: "It requires us to be "of" the world instead of being "in" the world."
What a wonderful, heartfelt post this morning ... this First Day of Autumn! Let the Leaves fall where they may and fill each day the very best way you can!
Stay well ... stay safe ... stay kind ... stay calm and continue to wear your masks!
Marcy Antle said…
You write so well. I hope you are saving these awesome posts for a book? Thank you for always brightening my day.
Angie said…
Wise words so beautifully written! Maybe some of us have a wake-up call. Mine was when my dearest friend lost her battle with breast cancer January of last year. I watched her fight, and felt so helpless. In her honor I try to live each day to the fullest. Your blog is an inspiration in itself. Keep reminding us please should we forget.
Thanks Bev. Such a good thing to remember amidst all the turbulence going on in the world. I pray for peace for all of us.