Relative Time

This is the best time of my life. Right now. No, wait - now -um - well, now. And now is never now because the minute you say "now," now is past.

I've been wrestling with the idea of time forever. Apparently, I'm in good company, although Albert seems to have had a much better handle on the notion than I do.

What I want to do in this best possible, beautiful, eventful time of my life is live each moment to the fullest and to remain present in the here and now. Sounds simple, doesn't it? Ha! Even as I sit here writing this, part of my mind is thinking that as soon as the clothes are dry, I'll fold them and put them away and then I'll have to "get through" the next hour or so until I can have lunch and read the paper (I love this - look forward to it every day - which means, of course, that I am not in the moment.).

Then I'm looking forward to a nap and then a long walk with Julie and the two dogs - and off I go - projecting madly into the future when what I want is to love this moment. And I do! But.....

Which leads me to the question: when am I fully in present time? I define that phenomenon as those occasions when time seems to stop - when I am so absorbed in what is going on right here and now that I am unaware of anything else, least of all the future. Those occasions are rare. They have come to me now and then in my work - editing film particularly. But most often, when I am out in the mountains hiking - when I am surrounded by beauty so compelling that I pray and thank spirit for my blessings. My heart grows so full it feels as though it will burst - and time ceases to have any meaning - at least for a short space of time. (there's that word again - please note the paradox).

I think that at least one of the secrets of a happy retirement (and a happy life - period) is to become conscious of those things that enrapture us and to do those as often as we can.

Which means, inevitably, that I'm looking forward to my next hike this afternoon - in the future, of course. But I do love the present - really....