Why You Need To Savor The Moments & Be Present

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Savor the moments – Be present

Why does the grass seem greener on the other side? Why is it that when we are children, we so desperately want to be teenagers? When we are teenagers, we desperately want to be adults. Then when we are single, we are eager for companionship and marriage. When we are married, we look back and long for the days when we were single. As we have children of our own, we look back and long to relive our carefree childhood. Why is it so difficult for us humans to embrace the different seasons of our lives, to enjoy the seasons we are in, and to savor the moments? Why is that so hard!? And what are the consequences of such discontentedness?

I have some thoughts about this, below.

At the beginning of this year, I celebrated yet another milestone birthday. Amid my celebrating, I came to the realization that embracing, (i.e. finding joy and contentment) where I am now, and allowing myself to savor the moments are the best, and perhaps the ONLY way to experience complete fulfillment. When we long for the past, we can easily become bitter and grief-ridden about our present. When we look to the future, we risk becoming disillusioned and fearful. Both the past and the future rob us of our hope and our joy in the present, making it impossible to embrace each season of life and savor the moments as we are in them.

Marks on Our Face

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Please don’t misunderstand me on this though! Both the past and the future are important and they both play a crucial role in our lives. I am reminded of the movie Wonder. In the movie lies this beautiful quote: “We all have marks on our face. This (the heart) is the map that shows us where we’re going. And this (the face) is the map that shows where we’ve been and it’s never, ever ugly.”

Be Present and Embrace your Current Life Season.

The Past. The Future

The past is important because it has brought us to our present. Our pasts have developed us and shaped us into the amazing people we are in the present. The past is in large part how we identify ourselves and our relationships. Also, the future is the place where our heart is calling us to go. It is the place of our passions, dreams, and even our faith. The future is the place for our better selves.

But what about the present?

The Present

Despite the value the past and the future hold in our lives, you, (we all) need to “BE SURE TO EMBRACE WHATEVER STAGE OR SEASON OF LIFE YOU ARE IN,” because the present has the greatest ability to change the future! Let’s embrace it all: the good, the bad, the beautiful, the ugly, the joy, the sorrow, the brokenness, the wholeness. Remember that wherever you are, you will not be there in ten years, next year, next month, or even tomorrow. The best way to build on your future is by embracing where you are in the present.

That said, be present, embrace each season the life, and savor the moments.

Below I made my own list of different moments throughout my adult life that were wonderful, difficult, and somewhere in between.

As I Savor the Moments-Wonderful, Difficult, and all In Between

That 8 am class I naively decided to take because it was my first year of college and I didn’t know any better
Midnight in the library, studying with my besties for midterms, or finals
That amazing trip to England and Norway in the December cold and fog
Living in Russia in the dark and damp winter, with essentially no friends
Joblessness
My very first, not-so-well-paid job that I took because it was a step-builder for my career
That horrible boss or coworker, or both
My ability to be spontaneous because I was single and carefree
Nights out with my girlfriends
Nights in with just myself, a good movie or book in a bed that is all my own
Great workouts at the gym
My first date followed by those first few months when endorphins were at an all-time high and everything about him was just perfect
Even that first major fight
My engagement season
A husband’s warm and inviting smile
My toddler’s “I love you.”
That same toddler’s “Mommy. Do you know what I think? I think you are pretty.”
Those 3 am hunger cries from my newborn
The pitch-black silence of the night when I used to go in to feed him/her
Even your room-temperature coffee!

So again, let’s be present. Love your life exactly where it is NOW! Perhaps you too can create your list of moments you have had when you were fully present. Moving forward, be present and look them in the eyes. Be present and smile! Be present and engage! Just be present and embrace your current season!

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