Seize the moment!

By Nanditha Vinod Nambiar

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” — Buddha

Aren’t we all scared about our future? Don’t we keep regretting the mistakes we have made in the past? Are we not missing out on enjoying our small successes? Well, when you aren’t being in the present you tend to become a victim of time. And therefore, your mind is pulled into the past or in the future, or both.

It is natural to spend moments in the past or daydream about the future. Identifying imminent dangers through associations with things that have happened in the past is surely important for self-preservation. But when our lives become dictated by thoughts and emotions attached to past events, our potential future outcomes, which are peacefully rooted in the present, become very rare.

Time is an illusion, which makes being controlled by time somewhat delusional. The past doesn’t exist and neither does the future. The only true reference point we have is this moment in time, and to this thing we label as ‘present’. It is a feeling of being here in this body, of seeing the world through our eyes. When we’re stuck in the past or in the future, we forget to enjoy ourselves. We forget to live.

All of us are feeble victims of time because it has become the accepted norm in our fast-paced and highly-strung society. So, if you allow yourself to become a victim of time, a victim of the past and a slave to the future, you will succumb to failure. As we know, time waits for no one. We can’t stop time, but we can always embrace it, and make sure no part of our life is spent in regret or remorse.

That is what life is really about. Making the most out of each moment, appreciating the wonder and miracles in each moment is life. You are complete, as you are, right now. Whatever you’re doing, commit to it and life will take care of the rest.