The magnificence of the present
As we cling onto the memories of our past and try our level best to suppress our worries about the future, living in the present seems like a mammoth ask. The nostalgia of the past can always provide the solace one needs in difficult times, while the uncertainties of the future carry a sense of hope (or fear) in what lies ahead; but to really be able to live the best version of our lives, we strive to seek the right balance.
As time ticks away, so do we; fanatically competing with the world around us, and wondering if we’re close to our destination yet. Is ‘there’ a place, a person, an emotion? More often than not, our target appears to be equivalent to that of our contemporaries’ accomplishments, We thus seem to live according to the ticking clocks of those around us, and in the process, we forget that all we really need to do is follow our own clocks. Our interpretation of time and choice of pace is the only one that matters, as we live through each hour of every day.
Despite having voluntarily (and proudly) excused myself from this race of life with those around us, I realised a while back that I seem to be stuck in a different one altogether, the race with time. On top of that, it has been feeling like one that I’m always losing; almost as if time was always miles ahead and I was perpetually falling behind (gasping for breath, I add dramatically), unable to keep up with my own ‘time’ goals.
It’s a funny thing this — time. It can propel you, spur you to put your best foot forward; the gift of time can help you achieve, and check those vitals of your life goals. But time has a dark side; if you dwell on it too much, it can simultaneously paralyse every decision and have you rethink every bit of your present.
How does one ‘go with flow’ without worrying about drowning beneath the seconds? They just do. That’s the point (apparently).
But to write off the future in its entirety is impossible, and probably not the most clever thing to do. One can’t possibly be oblivious to it, or as a matter of fact to even time itself. That being said, we should not let our anticipation of tomorrow, or our longing for yesterday, dictate what we really want to do today. In other words, whilst we may not be able to stop time or possibly even slow it down — as much as one would like — we can certainly make the most of it; by pursuing our passions, discovering ourselves, and truly living our present.
And here I stand, attempting to do precisely that. As I start my journey along a unique road to pursue an exciting opportunity, stepping out of familiarity into the new and undiscovered, I remain optimistic. To be able to venture into a space that captivates me, tackle new and exciting opportunities and challenges, and work amongst a community of mavericks…it might just be that ‘moment in the present’ I need, and the very ticket to my satisfaction (even if the clock in my head may be telling otherwise).
As I set out on my new journey, closer to the ripe age of the big 2–5, I hope to live in the moment, to learn (and unlearn), and make the most of this opportunity, without too much worry about what may lie ahead. For now, thinking about the years of work experience ticked off, my achievements (or lack thereof), and all that could potentially happen over the next 10 years, is an activity that I’ve relegated to one of those cluttered drawers in the back of my mind; one that I won’t be opening for a while. For me, it’s time to start afresh and focus on the here and now. It’s time to live in the present — an eternality that can only be experienced once.
