I’ve been meditating for a while now. At least 100 days. I’ve found it to be a wonderful practice and something I genuinely look forward to. But I’ve also changed because of it.

I feel more connected with all things. My intentional practice of mindfulness has made me much slower to anger and faster to compassion. It has also allowed me to digest things differently. The real thing I find myself drawn to as a necessary practice is being present, and receiving the peace that comes from that.

“Peace comes from being aligned with the present moment. Wherever you are, you feel that you are home – because you are home.”

— Eckhart Tolle

I find this to be really true, and also the opposite is true. When I am focused on what my life will look like 10 years from now, 5 years from now, whether I’m saving enough or planning enough or if the decisions I am making now are serving my life in the future etc., I am robbing myself of the joy of the present moment.

This moment right here, when the wind is blowing, and the sun is shining, and it’s a perfect 67 degrees and beautiful outside. I miss this, if I am only focused on that. I can’t fully appreciate the beauty of the things around me. To live every moment to its fullest is perfection, and that’s what I’ve been missing these last few months.

I’ve been so “bent out of shape” about our future, our kids future wellbeing and exterior things that I haven’t been able to be present in the moment. To practice presence when I’m with my kids right now.

If we can be happy in the moment at all times, we live in a wealth and a peace that surpasses the logic of “having”.

“Having” is like a storage of sorts. It’s like we store our resources in the form of wealth so that we feel we can be secure and able to be at peace in moments when our basic needs surpass our ability to be at peace. Where peace is disrupted by our needs. But “having” becomes an addiction.

The plan becomes the thing we focus on, rather than what the plan is supposed to provide. I know the plan is important, but what’s more important is being able to enjoy what I have now. The feeling of wind in my face, watching sunsets over the water, enjoying the wildlife surrounding us and tapping into the throng life that is all around at any given time. All the animals going about their day, doing what they are designed to do; all the people living life however they have determined to do so…it’s all part of this energy that we can live in. I think that’s where God is.

God is here. In the literal here and now. When Jesus said, “The Kingdom of God is at hand”. I think that’s what he meant. We’re in it, but it’s invisible, and we have to open our eyes to it. In the far east, they call this the third eye. The more eastern my philosophy becomes, the more clearly I see the truth of Jesus’ teachings.