Read. Write. Photograph. Tell the stories.
Read. Write. Photograph. Make memories. Tell the stories.
Looking back : me and Honduras
Some people, myself included, tend to look back with fondness and nostalgia on the past. “Remember that trip to Cuba? Wasn’t it perfect?” “Remember when we lived in Honduras as a diplomatic family?” I gloss over the difficult parts and just remember the good times, repeating the stories to anyone who will listen.
Looking forward : the 5 year life plan
Others tend to look towards the future. “If I get this promotion I will be happy.” “I’ll save my money now and take the best vacation in 3 years time.” “In a few years the market will go up so we can sell and the next house will be our dream house.” It’s good to have an overall goal but the reality is there are many things beyond our control.
Maybe the best way is to live in the present?
Mindfulness. Appreciating the here and now. (These are all clichés; for a reason!)
These moments are not necessarily planned but happen in a concurrence of events. The special moments when your body and soul feel relaxed, content. Take for example:
- spontaneous picnic at the park with my daughter we devoured croissants, milk, and ice cubes,
- completing every single one of the children’s puzzles in our house, spreading them out on the whole living room floor,
- watching my daughter eat ice cream in the rain with a friend while they sat together in the bike trailer,
- diving head first into a refreshing clear water lake this summer,
- the kids singing their own made up tune: “I love you lots, granny, you are in my heart.”
“If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present.” Lao Tzu, ancient Chinese philosopher, founder of Taoism
Photos don’t do justice to these moments.
I remember trying to snap the best shop of a cheetah while we were on safari in Kenya for our honeymoon. As the animal roamed around our truck and came in for a close-up, my camera battery died. At first I was extremely frustrated and upset, then I realized that I would never be able to capture this perfect moment on camera. Instead I could live it fully with all my senses. That memory will live forever in my heart.
It is easy now, I am on vacation. The threat of Covid feels like something from the past. But we must all prepare for the second wave. Back to school is in less than three weeks. There is what I can control and what I have no control over. I can take care of myself. I can’t make policy decisions for the school board. I can savor and enjoy these days of summer with my family and friends (at a safe distance.) What will you do?