The present moment is a gift. Unfortunately, it is one we often neglect as our thoughts rush headlong into the future, planning and worrying, or they get mired in the past, reliving and regretting. When we allow ourselves to connect fully to the present moment, something magical happens – we open ourselves to its possibilities. Our kind attention gives us new eyes through which to experience the world around us and we awaken to all that moment has to offer.
The other day I spent the morning wandering through the forest along the lake. The natural world is deeply nourishing to me – it soothes, mind, body, and spirit. As I climbed over rocks and roots, felt the softness of cedar and pine and moss beneath my feet, I was fully awake and firmly grounded in the present. My attention was rewarded with beautiful treasures as I explored with wonder and curiosity the world around me: 
mushrooms of all shapes and sizes were peering out from fallen limbs and leaves. The forest floor was alive with these little gems, and had I been hurrying along lost in thought, I would have missed their marvelous show.
Joy comes to us not in big, bright bursts, but more often in glimpses and glimmers that we can only see when we are paying attention. Where can you find little gems in your daily life? What slivers of joy come into view when you pay attention? The softness of the breeze on your face, the smell of bread fresh out of the oven, the warmth of laughter shared between friends. Each moment is an opportunity to experience joy, even in its tiniest measure. As you move through your day, I invite you to welcome the gifts of each moment and see what treasures await.
This was the sublime view from my meditation cushion this morning. I am on holiday, so my ‘cushion’ was a rolled towel set upon the rocks by the lake. Meditation doesn’t require any special tools or circumstances – all that is required is a willingness to show up and explore the present moment, with an open mind and a compassionate heart. I was serenaded by birdsong, felt the cool morning air on my skin and the texture of the rocks beneath my seat – such a simple yet beautiful way to begin the day with mindful awareness.
Meditation has been an integral part of my life for a long time. It has helped me navigate some treacherous waters – acute illness, family tragedy, profound loss. It has also been there in times of joy and triumph, granting me a sense of balance and perspective and deep gratitude. To anyone who asks (and probably a few who didn’t!), I extol the virtues of meditation, its myriad gifts and benefits, and all the ways we can incorporate mindfulness into everyday life so that we spend more time inhabiting the present moment, with all its possibilities.
Sitting on the streetcar recently I felt a tightening in my stomach. I breathed into the sensation and recognised it immediately – anxiety. I sat with the sensation, stayed connected to my breath, allowed myself to simply be with the anxiety without attachment or mental drama carrying me away. I attuned to the sensation with openness and curiosity and my attention revealed its source: an Alice in Wonderland feeling I have experienced several times before.
Change is inevitable. Deep down we know this to be true. Why, then, do we so often fear change, struggle against it, fight to maintain the status quo? Perhaps it’s because we are creatures of habit. We take comfort in our routines, we feel safe and secure when we are surrounded by what we know. However, when we look within, I doubt there is anyone who cannot recall a time when their routine was shattered, when the best laid plans were completely, perhaps tragically, derailed. No matter how well we plan, how far we try to gaze into the future, we will never be able to see clearly beyond the present moment, and we will never truly know what changes the next moment might bring.
After a week of sun and heat, it is rainy and cool today. I love days like this. Soft days. Days where we can be quiet and simply listen to the rain falling outside our window; days where we can soften the edges of our expectations, give ourselves permission to slow down and savour each moment as it comes. What treasures will we find when we pay attention to the present moment? What joys await us when we pause our busyness long enough to appreciate the simple beauty of raindrops, the way they nourish the world around us, the symphony they play as they land upon our rooftops? Sir Francis Bacon reminded us that “We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand and melting like a snowflake.” Let yourself pause today to appreciate the simple joys that surround you, the stars in your hands and the raindrops falling softly on your head.