Time

"Almost Thanksgiving!"
I've heard that quite a few times lately.
And it makes me sad.
So many people seem to be looking forward; and when that moment comes, does it not last, well, just for a moment?

I am deliberately trying to relish the present, whatever I am in at the moment. I came up with this idea when I was exercising, as I heard the instructor say once more, "almost there," referring to the end of a particular session. That time of being almost there seemed to hang forever, so I decided to focus on enjoying IT. That second, that minute, takes up as much time as the second or minute that I spend lounging with friends on Market Square with a glass of wine in my hand. Is it not as significant in the whole that is called my life? So I am developing a deliberate mind map. As my legs, say, rotate around during a spinning class I envision the fabric of my muscle actually tearing, rebuilding and strengthening. Science is God's art ("what a work of art is man"), and so are the workings of the human body. The experience should be relished and appreciated.

I am responsible for a conference at work every year, and the event is tomorrow. Yesterday I took this new-found commitment and approached the preparations as if they were the end product, not simply to support the main event in a couple of days. It made the work much easier, and I had a greater sense of accomplishment as I typed out the instructions to the facilitators, chatted with the chef, secured the thank-you gifts. I made an effort to be in the moment, and the moment was savored.

That is not to say that one can appreciate what one is not doing. For example, at least once a week I still recognize a particular luxury: I don't have to rush out the door to daycare (which has not been a part of my life for at least 12 years).