Pause For a Moment and Enjoy this Moment

I often find myself torn between two conflicting thoughts: living in the present and planning for the future.

I get part of the answer from a book named - "The Art of Power", written by Thich Nhat Hanh (一行禪師).

Thich Nhat Hanh (一行禪師) is not an average self-help book author. Born in a little village in Vietnam, he received scholarship to study in US, was nominated for Nobel Peace Price, was exiled by his own country, then formed the West’s largest and most active Buddhist monastery, and spoke to leaders at corporations at Google, The World Bank, and the Harvard School of Medicine. (Imagine that on a CV).

'We tend to think, “I’ll be so happy if I can get this and this and this. But if I’m not able to get these things, my life will be ruined, and I’ll never be happy.”

Our ideas about what power is and what will bring us happiness can be quite dangerous for us. It’s dangerous to be committed to an idea of happiness, because then you’re caught in that idea.

Happiness can come to you in a thousand ways if you only allow it to.

But if you’re committed to only one idea of happiness, you’re stuck. Happiness can no longer come to you because you’ve decided that you’ll refuse everything except this one path of happiness.'

That's some words of wisdom.

I vividly remember getting rejected by one of the high schools in Hong Kong (while I was in primary school), failing the piano exam, and got rejected by all the magic circle firms while I was in Hong Kong looking for my first job. The failure felt so bad I thought I could never be happy again. It seemed so important back then.

Similarly, I am now quite obsessed with some "goals", and I sometimes think I will only be satisfied if I achieve them. For instance, I really want to attain financial freedom so that I do not have to work for money ever; or I need a second passport to feel secure; or I want a bigger apartment with a lift.

Yet, they may be as foolish as wanting to get admitted by Diocesan Boys' School, the high school I wanted to get in when I was 10.  (Having said that, I probably do need to move into an apartment with an elevator though, walking to 5th Floor everyday in Taiwan summer is killing me.)

Instead, I should embrace and find joy in the present. Be fully present during meals with my loved ones.  Disconnect from my phone while walking my dog. Engage wholeheartedly in conversations with my partner. Savor every shot during a game of badminton. Waklk mindfully on hikes. Immersemyself in movies and books.  As with most things, it may be easier said than done. But at least we should try.

After all, the past is already gone, the future is not yet here. And there's only one moment to live - the present. Let's do that properly.

'Happiness is possible only when you stop running and cherish the present moment and who you are. Who you are is already a wonder; you don’t need to be someone else. You are a wonder of life.' This is strangely comforting, isn't it?

(P.S. Thanks for reading! More on the next article as to how being present may be your best plan for future.)