My summers are so different from most the other adults in my world. I go from constant lesson planning, grading, directing, editing, etc. into a world where I am simply living in the moment. My kids can say, "hey mom, let's go to a movie" and I can! During the school year, even on weekends, I am almost always preoccupied by what I "should be" doing rather than what I am doing. I make sure to spend time with my family, but I am often concerned about the pile of grading sitting on the kitchen table.
I wonder how often we spend time doing important things like playing with our kids, or talking with our spouses or enjoying time with friends and yet not really be mentally present... it is a problem I know I have... and I'm guessing I'm not the only one. Buddhism seems to speak to this- the idea of being present- seems like an obvious and simple idea, but how often are we completely present? Even now... as I type this, my attention is being pulled left and right by a partial conversation with a daughter, jellybeans, the errands I have to run this afternoon, the company coming in tomorrow, the yard that desperately needs work... for goodness sake, I'm writing about the importance of having presence of mind, and I can't stay focused! Ironic. No. Maybe just sad.
Okay... next goal for this summer: presence of mind. Just do it.
Yeah. Totally get this one, especially recently. I'm almost never present at work unless someone I care about comes in (Kelly Mocha, for instance, who has a most unique order and one of the kindest hearts and most amazing life). And still, most of the time I an concerned with school, writing, and where my dreams are headed. My presence of mind has been splintered for many years, and for some strange reason I enjoy and am alright with it. Is that bad?
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm talking about being "present" for important things... although I'd like a world where each waking moment is fully experienced, I think daydreaming or having your mind elsewhere when performing mundane tasks is fine... I don't need to be "present" for brushing my teeth...auto pilot. However, it seems like such a bad practice... I find myself lesson planning while I watch Kobie's softball game- only in my mind, but geez... she's only going to be 10 this year... I should probably enjoy each minute and be aware of it all... you know?
ReplyDeleteBeing present is so important but everytime I get really involved and absorbed in something (conversation, project, work, whatever) when I come out of it the real world just seems so drab... It's like the moment when you shut the cover of an amazing book and just sit there staring at it for a moment, re-acclimating to the atmosphere outside of it. Maybe I should go Buddhist, haha, I have a CD of Indian music! Halfway there, right? I do believe you can't force a 'present' state of mind. It has to come naturally, otherwise it's just called concentration!
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