Recently I was getting coffee with colleague of mine, and as I attempted to soundboard some thoughts and choices I was noodling over related to the future, with a calm, wise, slowness, she paused me simply to ask:
"Where are you right now?"
At first I tried to explain. I was at a certain point in my career facing a particular fork that could have a plethora implications down the road. When that wasn't the right answer, I tried explaining where I was more mentally and emotionally - pretty happy with where I currently am in life, feeling like I made the right choice switching careers, etc. After several more failed attempts, she asked me one last time, this time with more conviction:
"No, no, no. Where are you right now?"
It had taken 10 minutes to remind myself of the fact that I was sipping on a latte, outside, in beautiful 80 degree Southern California weather, in the middle of February. I had been so caught up in my future, I almost missed it. And that's exactly what is meant when you hear tropes like, “be present,” “be here now,” “live in the moment.” It's easy to pass them over because nowadays we hear it just so much.
In the middle of the pandemic, we may not be in 80 degree patio weather sipping coffee with a friend anymore, but the chance to do nothing but curl up, make tea and watch Netflix won’t last forever either. We have to bring awareness and find ways to actually enjoy it while it lasts.
Where are you right now?
