Plug Into The Present

One of my very intelligent border-lining genius professors used to say to us 'Plug into the present'.

Plug into the present? What the hell is this guy talking about?

He used to say 'Plug into the present because that's where the less possible pressure exists'.

*perplexed looks*

It took me a while to understand what this statement was all about. I think it started to hit me when I was in Paris. I was on the Eiffel Tower but I was anxious to go to the Louvre. When I got to the Louvre, I was excited for like 10 minutes and then I wanted to go to Notre Dame. And when I got there, I was like 'Yeah, ok, I'm hungry'. I'm always living in a future situation.It doesn't matter if it's an hour ahead, or months ahead but for crying out loud woman, just stop and look around you NOW.

That's when it first hit me; that mentally, I exist in a place that hasn't come yet. Mentally, I'm always somewhere in the future. Like being in Cyprus but living on Tokyo time.

Which sucks really because apart from the practicality issues that arise, I miss out on here and now, Or rather, I should say 'missed' because now that I have realized it, I'm trying to exist in the 'here and now' and dream/hope/think about the future, but not spoil my present over it.

So yes, my very intelligent border-lining genius professor was really onto something.

So plugging into the present it is. So much, that I literally stop in the middle of the street and take a look around me. When I get worked up thinking about what I have to do tomorrow, I stop and force myself to look around me. Look at the people. The tree. The car that passes by. Look at something that is happening right now.

In doing so, I feel a lot more relaxed. It's like my mind is not working in overdrive anymore. I'm calmer, I sleep better and I'm saying 'fuck it' like I mean it. It's not easy sometimes; I mean I was programmed all my life to be on high speed and always 5 steps ahead. I still think about the future, make plans and dreams and all, but essentially, I don't want to exist there; I want to exist in here and now. Because this is what I'm given and that future I'm planning and dreaming about is definitely not a given. And no matter what amount of planning and dreaming of it, can guarantee it. So what do you do?

You plug into the present.

Breathe it. Feel it. Taste it. Enjoy it.