Live for Today!

Willow River State Park, WI (CMG Original)

Breathing in, I know I’m breathing in.

Breathing out, I know

As the in-breath grows deep,

The out-breath grows slow.

Breathing in makes me calm.

Breathing out makes me ease.

With the in-breath, I smile.

With the out-breath, I release.

Breathing in, there is only the present moment.

Breathing out, it is a wonderful moment.

-Thich Nhat Hanh

In October of last year, my then 35 year old sister, had a massive stroke.  My mom found her in her apartment on the floor and unresponsive.  We were told that there was a dissection in her carotid artery that was the cause of her stroke.  They removed part of her skull and put it on ice to reattach at a later date to allow the brain to swell so that she would live.  The right side of her body was affected as well as her speech.  What has followed has been months of relearning everything that she never thought twice about before her stroke.  Walking, talking, toileting, dressing herself, recognizing colors and shapes and giving them names!  All things we take for granted as half-way intelligent adults in this world.

For one reason or another, many of us are so intent on planning and preparing for the future (what am I going to do this weekend?, what does my work schedule look like tomorrow?) that we forget to recognize the present moment.  I remember thinking that I couldn’t wait to see my first born child as an adult and now he is- a big, 6 foot, 170 lb. nineteen year old- and I wish I would have taken more time to savor those today moments.  Taking the time to really look into your child’s eyes or the eyes of your significant other or friend and hear them without thinking about what you will say next is an amazing thing!

Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D, a Harvard trained brain scientist,  wrote a book in 2006 called “My Stroke of Insight”.  She writes her own story, from the morning of her massive stroke and her road to full recovery.  She also explains how we can choose to use the right side of our brain to become more empathetic people and remove ourselves from the chatter of our left brain.  She writes, “It is liberating to know that I have the ability to choose a peaceful and loving mind (my right mind), whatever my physical or mental circumstances by deciding to step to the right and bring my thoughts back to the present moment.”

This moment is the only place we need to be.  This moment is the only real thing that exists (and that is debateable as well).  If you want to change your life, you can only do that by changing what you do today.  What one thing can you change? 

John C. Maxwell’s book, “Today Matters”, outlines practices that you can do TODAY to change your tomorrow.  Maxwell starts his book with choices that you can make today: 

Just for today... I will choose and display the right attitudes.

Just for today...I will determine and act on important priorities.

Just for today...I will know and follow healthy guidelines.

Just for today...I will communicate with and care for my family.

He lists ten more “just for today” ideas.  Pick just one of the above today and live it!  Today, I will choose and display the right attitudes.  What will you choose?