the wonder of the Now

Nothing ever happened in the past; it happened in the Now. Nothing will ever happen in the future; it will happen in the Now.

- Eckhart Tolle

The only moment that exists is now. The future only exists in our thoughts, in our plans and dreams but as soon as the future comes it is now. The past only exists in our memories. The only moment that is, is now, this everchanging, present moment.

That is why staying present in the now, as much as possible, is the path to real happiness and fulfillment. Sure we need to make plans for the future. We can shape the direction of the present moment with our actions. We can shape the way it goes with some planning and stategizing, but most of us spend way to much time worrying about the future and forget about the present moment.

Can you just be present in this moment without being lost in thoughts about the future or the past? Just noticing the feeling of your breath, the chair you're sitting on, the things or people around you. When you are present in the now, the world comes alive and becomes vibrant. When you are present in the now you find the happiness and fulfillment that only exists when you are in the now. Happiness and fulfillment cannot exist in the future, they can only exist right here and now. Maybe if we all stop searching so hard for happiness and fulfillment in the future, we can find it right now.

Can you let go of the past? The past doesn't really exist either. The past only exists in memory, thoughts in your mind. The past you remember isn't reality. Reality is this moment, right here and now. This moment never becomes the past, as soon as it passes it is replaced again by this moment and again and again.

Its important to honor the past. We have collective stories about the past that are important in helping us function together in community but how many people get lost in their stories about past and forget completely about the present moment? Haven't we all done this? Our stories of the past can be like prisons that hold us until we set ourselves free by letting go of our stories.

It is only when we are in the moment, free from the past and the future, that we can be fully alive, at peace, happy and fulfilled. As my friend Jim Dreaver says, "honor the past, keep an eye on the future but have your awareness right here, right now." We can find all the peace, happiness and fulfillment we crave here and now because peace, happiness and fulfillment can only exist here and now. They are available to us immediately as soon as we can become present to the moment.

Sometimes we may fool ourselves into believing that we can know the the future or the past but when we realize that we can only really know this moment then we can find the deepest peace, happiness and fulfillment, that which surpasses all knowing, the wonder of the Now.

Enjoy it,
Charlie