The present moment is the only moment available to us, and it is the door to all moments.

-Thich Nhat Hanh

I am reminded that when I am frantic or worried, I am often trying to change the past or control the future. Either way, I am focusing on what I cannot control and ignoring the present moment. This quote reminds me that, in the present, I am able to act. I use the past to reflect and draw knowledge from experiences so that I can make better choices in the present. And the future, I prepare for (but not worry or obsess about) in the present.  This is what makes the present so important and precious, for me – the fact that it is occurring right now, at this very second. And every second, is a new present moment that allows me another opportunity to greet life with serenity.

A meditation for March 19, 2013.

Right Now – Van Halen