Well actually, it’s the wisdom of Master Oogway from Kung-fu Panda that I am referring to. The quote, to be specific is “Yesterday is history, tomorrow a mystery, today is a gift, that’s why they call it the present”. In my mind, one of the greatest quotes I’ve ever heard. Why? Let me tell you…
How many of us live in the present? You may think you do, just as I do, but in reality, we are more often than not somewhere else. Whether it’s thinking (again the thinking brain takes control – see past blogs for reference!) about what happened yesterday, what we need to do later today and what needs to be organised for tomorrow. Am I right? Go on, admit it! How often are we truly present, right here, right now, in this very moment? Sadly, for me, not often enough. That’s why I love this quote, beautifully articulated by Master Oogway (the wily old turtle for those of you unfamiliar with the genius of Kung-fu Panda).
What’s so fascinating about this concept of living not in the present, but in the past or the future via our mind, is that we aren’t really living in reality. Because what is not present right now is no longer or not yet real. We can create whole stories in our heads about something that has not yet even occurred and may never in fact occur, and have you noticed that we more often than not think about what might go wrong, rather than what we’d really like to happen?
This is where worrying comes in to play – we feel stressed about a certain situation – for example having enough money (or more accurately, not having enough money). I’ve found this to be quite a relevant topic for new mums because suddenly you are down to living on one income, which is a challenge at the best of times, but even harder when you’ve got a new bub and all the expenses that come with those precious bundles of joy. So we worry about how we’ll make ends meet and in doing that, imagine a whole array of scenarios that may or may not become reality. And our mind is so powerful in creating these scenes in our head that they feel real to us and we feel real emotions around them. Yet what we are worrying about is NOT REAL in this very moment! Ok confused much? I know, it’s crazy. So crazy that it hardly even makes sense when you try to make sense of it!
So to save myself from going crazy (or crazier), I repeat that quote to myself as often as I can, with particular emphasis on the last line – “today is a gift, that’s why they call it the present”. I love this line because not only does it remind me to live in the here and the now – which I believe is one of the greatest gifts I can give my daughter for free, to be available and focused on her as much as I can be – but this quote also reminds me to be grateful for each and every day. And that is a very powerful thing – to be truly grateful for every moment that we have, to feel blessed for the many wonderful things that are part of your life and to say thank you. Being grateful can change your whole life, it is that empowering, because suddenly you can feel happiness for the smallest things – a morning cup of tea, a quiet cuddle with your bub, a quick kiss shared with your partner – even amidst the most chaotic of days.
And sharing your happiness, in this very moment, with those that you love is surely a wonderful gift to give.
A little kiss with my baby girl fills me with happiness... awwww
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