In Between

("In Between" Oil by Deborah Northey)

                 

 How many times have you been standing in line in the grocery store or a department store allowing your mind to wander to another place or time?  Maybe you are thinking of something that happened yesterday or what is going to happen tomorrow .  Catching ourselves doing this allows us to enjoy the present. Ya know, today,NOW!  Why do we give up the wonderful existence of Now to something we don't have any control over? Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is not here yet. NOW is right in front of us. It is waiting for us to notice and appreciate it.  When you are experiencing NOW, you get the chance to smile at someone or say "good morning". You see how the little ones in carts are happy in their NOW.  When we are in between yesterday and tomorrow, we aren't paying attention to NOW.  I'll take NOW anytime. It's where happiness and joy live. And I love the feeling of happiness and joy. Don't you?

“Few of us ever live in the present. We are forever anticipating what is to come or remembering what has gone.”
― Louis L'Amour

The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it. ”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life

Reflection

"Tea"  8x10 Oil by Deborah Northey

"January is a good month to reflect upon the past year. Perhaps what you have accomplished, what you did not accomplish, what goals you were able to meet, etc.   What????????? I can't remember what happened yesterday, let alone last year. So, I get a nice cup of tea, find a nice quiet place, and reflect on how I am in the moment. Be mindful. I check myself out. How do I feel physically? Does anything hurt? Am I comfortable where I am sitting. What about my emotions? Am I happy? Am I sad? Am I feeling angry or stressed or anxious? Then I just sit with it.  I take a few long, deep breaths, and I drink my tea. I smell the tea, taste the tea, and for a few moments, enjoy the tea, mindfully!"

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“Be mindful. Be grateful. Be positive. Be true. Be kind.”
― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart