macular degeneration, macular, diagnosis In the Moment – My Macular Degeneration Journey/Journal

In the Moment

I just read a comment that said the writer hoped I would address “staying in the moment”. What does staying in the moment mean? It is actually a pretty self-explanatory phrase. It means not living in the past or the future. It means living in the now. We are talking about being present in the present.

To quote: “living in the moment is a state of active, open intentional attention to the present.” Not sure whom I am quoting. It came up on a google search with no reference but I liked it. If it is yours, nice job!

What I liked about it were the words active and intentional. These days, the age of distraction, it takes both action and intention to stay focused on what is happening now.

Do a little experiment. Just for fun, keep a tally of how many times a day you live in the past. Tally up both good memories and regrets. Then keep a tally of how often you think about the future. Plans, yes, but the big one you should concentrate on is worry. How many times a day do you worry? Ouch? I thought that might be the case.

Now just for fun try to be present in your environment. Really notice. In DBT speak this is called observe. When you observe you are not supposed to judge but for the exercise, tally up the good things you have in the present. They can be small. For example, right now for me it is dusk. The birds are calling and the insects have started to make their night noises. Good things I like to hear. They would get a tally.

Now the big question: would you have noticed these things if you had not been challenged to do this exercise? My guess is no. What would you have thought about instead? Worries?

People sometimes ask how I can be so happy knowing I will someday go blind. I tell them I try not to think about it. Active and intentional attention to what is happening now is something I try to cultivate. Right now there is still much I can see. Why ignore the beauty of my world worrying about someday not seeing it? If I do that, I have made myself blind. The disease may do it in the future but I would be doing it to myself now in the present.

Yesterday is but a dream. Tomorrow is only a vision. But today well-lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope. – Kalidasa

Go live today….mindfully, actively, intentionally.

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