One of the greatest gifts of the last year has been the opportunity to reflect inward. We get so caught up in the gyrations of running our lives that we don’t notice our lives are often running us ragged.
After the initial shock of the pandemic wore off, many discovered that the changes thrust upon us were not all strenuous. In fact, some discovered a new freedom created by having to slow down. Eliminating our social calendar, cancelling our vacations, and cutting down on trips to the store meant we had to figure out what to do with the time that would have gone into those activities.
Sure, some of this time was dedicated to learning new technology to somewhat replace our original methods. Instead of visiting friends or attending meetings in person, we learned Zoom. Instead of roaming the store aisles and coming home with more than we went for, we discovered the simplicity of choosing items online and having them delivered – if not to our house, then to our car parked in the pickup zone.
We were pushed to ask ourselves questions like “Is this really important?” and “Can this be done a different or easier way?”
Having the time to reflect more deeply has been a gift to us personally, and to society in general.
Many industries have been able to use this time to re-engineer products or research new alternatives. We are witnessing the incubation of unexpected inventions aimed at improving our lives and making life easier.
On a personal level, reflection has made me aware of how much mental time I spend in the future and the past, rather than in the present.
I came to realize how often my mind wanders into the future – worrying about things that haven’t happened or imagining what could be if I did this or did that.
If not in the future, I’m in the past – digging up historic events to see what lessons I learned and trying to leverage that knowledge into a better future decision.
My mind scurries frantically between the past and the future, rarely stopping to take a moment in the present to smell the roses.
How many times have you driven somewhere and realized you were on autopilot the whole way? When was the last time you stopped and asked your body how it was feeling and waited for a response?
Being present helps us tap into a deeper inner wisdom. Quiet stillness is calming and soothing. It helps us heal, balance, and discover hidden reservoirs of strength. It gives us a new appreciation for our magnificent minds and bodies. It awakens our spirit. It makes us more present to everything around us – people and nature.
This month our cover story features Tom Tompkins, affectionately known as Tommy Transit. For years he has brightened the lives of his bus passengers with a smile and words of affirmation.
Whether you are halted momentarily to consider the profundity of his words, or you’re lost in the experience of tapping the back of the bus seat in front of you, Tommy gives you the gift of living in the present moment.
INSPIRED Magazine is honoured to share with our readers the stories of people like Tommy Tompkins. People who are making a difference in the world, one word or one drumbeat at a time. People who are finding ways to be in the present moment and draw others into it as well.
Stay present and stay inspired.
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