For the last three years I have been focused on living in the present moment.

This means, in short, not being continually crushed by the past or caught frozen in the headlights of fear in respect of the future.

The English language allows the use of the word “present” in two contexts, the first being the word for time which is now, and the second is used as another way of referring to a gift.

I have been pondering over interchanging the use of both meanings of the word “present” in my own journey to live a life in the present moment, and in thinking of the present time as a gift it has the effect of making me reflect on making each moment of my life count.

What I mean by this, is not that every moment is full of joy and happiness, which is unrealistic, but that each moment is appreciated for what it is, be it either light or shade.

If I am living the present moment, reflecting on events which are not bringing new meaning to the present constructively, then I need to be aware of its impact on me and those around me who have so often suffered the consequences of my frustration.

I have managed to come to a new understanding of self and of the needs of others through my periods of reflection each day.

Sometimes I have felt agitated even in that peaceful setting when the issues I have been grappling with do not seem to provide me with answers.

The gift of the present is accepting the place where your thoughts or conversations have brought you to in the present, and appreciating that managing emotions and not reacting to the frustration of unresolved difficulties makes it easier in the longer term to return to these narratives at different times on the onward journey.

The present gives us the promise of future gifts of wonderful present moments, if we can find the capacity within us to be calm.

My next blog will be: Wild Geese

William Defoe