I’m enough of a Buddhist to know that NOW is the most important time of all. Living mindfully in the moment is a blessing each time I get in that state of mind.
And yet...I find that I live by two questions that have nothing to do with the present. Whenever I contemplate how I’m doing in my life I ask:
Question one gives me an urgency about creating art and making time to travel. And it makes me less concerned with the messes I make around the house on a day-to-day basis.
Question two inspires me to take an honest account of our family’s finances and my personal physical fitness. And it motivates me to do deep clearing-out of drawers and closets so I don’t store garbage for years on end.
Both questions lead me to make time for the people dear to me, and to deepen my spiritual practices.
So I live in the now, and in the theoretical year from now and 50 years from now all at the same time. Sometimes it’s dizzying, but for me the multiple views are well worth it.
And yet...I find that I live by two questions that have nothing to do with the present. Whenever I contemplate how I’m doing in my life I ask:
- If I were given one year to live, what changes would I make in my life right now?; and
- Am I taking care of business in case I live to 100? (it used to be 80, but some people live CRAZY long these days.)
Question one gives me an urgency about creating art and making time to travel. And it makes me less concerned with the messes I make around the house on a day-to-day basis.
Question two inspires me to take an honest account of our family’s finances and my personal physical fitness. And it motivates me to do deep clearing-out of drawers and closets so I don’t store garbage for years on end.
Both questions lead me to make time for the people dear to me, and to deepen my spiritual practices.
So I live in the now, and in the theoretical year from now and 50 years from now all at the same time. Sometimes it’s dizzying, but for me the multiple views are well worth it.
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