A-Z Blog Challenge N: Now and No for Change
Now, as you read this, we will have landed in Maun, Botswana. I hope that I and we will have the serenity that the Buddha has – pre, prior and post –
And, there will be no wi-fi I’ve just learned in the bush from Sunday to Friday. My prescheduled posts will still go up and I look forward to catching up on return on Sat 23rd.
We know that we are advised to be mindful of everything, including the inner and the outer and not concern ourselves about the past or the future. Let it take care of itself – only always be in the now.
It’s a hard ask – for me anyway. I can’t re-invent myself every moment. I am in this moment because of my past and present. This is a prescheduled post so as I write it – and I’m also thinking of the future – I am here this week with time set aside for drafting the remainder of my A-Z posts, and responding to others’ blog posts, and hopefully walking later on this afternoon and NOT ‘allowing’ myself to slide into sloth.
In my now moment this day 13th April as I write, my head is busy and already it’s been a busy day. Earlier I popped down to the shops. I invariably do a mental estimate of the bill to be paid. Call it a curse or a gift that I have, i.e. with numbers, but I always add up in my head as the items are scanned and get a very accurate guestimate. My sons and husband have been totally amazed on occasion when with me (I take a bow) as have the shop tellers when I say ‘I think this bill will come to xyz’. This morning I was overcharged (yet again) at the till. I am always irritated – it’s such a waste of valuable time. So I keep calm so as not to inflame the situation. It takes time to get the error corrected, but for me it is important to not be overcharged. There’s a ‘no’ in that somewhere – no, to being unconscious about e.g. money. I will take the error at face value, i.e. that the price changes were not shown at the goods on show or that the till machine had not been altered … but there is an imperative in me to not be complicit in that particular dance. I have to be in the now at such times – and be changed in some way because of it.
It’s a beautiful autumn day as I write – and now as I view my garden from my study, all’s well with my inner world, if a bit rushed, trying to keep focused and in the now and I hope so with you too.
36 Comments on N: Now and No for Change
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Staying in the Now requires a perfectly quiet mind. I practice saying “Yes.” Yes to this, this, and this. I hope your trip is spectacular.
That quiet mind – I guess as you say it requires practice Elaine … thank you for saying so … right now I’m screaming silently about my computer that’s playing ghastly tricks on me and is on complete slow down …
I’m trying so hard to practice living in the moment. I feel it’s essential for inner peace. But it’s hard. I hope you are having a wonderful time in the bush.
Thank you Karen, I’m back. It was wonderful getting back to basics and being in the now as we were then :)…now that I’m back I’ll probably have to learn all over again …
This is an excellent (and somewhat funny) story about how being in the now is a good thing. It is the only thing really. Every day at work in our sharing circle someone (or three) will say “I can’t wait until so and so happens.” I say – “really. but you have to. why wouldn’t you want to enjoy the time up until that enjoyable time and not make yourself miserable?” But I get blank stares. It has become a trope – this not being able to wait.
too bad.
ha ha! Is it something that people say out of habit maybe? Projecting and investing too far into the future? Why not enjoy each moment until that something happens … thanks Jan ..
Hi Susan – yes as Samantha says .. N for Now is a good thought to keep up front as the moments pass us by …
Enjoy Botswana … I’m missing it vicariously – remembering some of my visits – cheers Hilary
Hi Hilary and thank you … I wish I could stay in the now right now but I have much to catch up on and I’m thinking how it is nigh impossible looking into the future. Just back from dinner out and they were saying about their Botswana trips …
Good one, Susan. I, too, add up my store item totals in my head as I shop.
Staying in the now is an interesting concept, if there is such. There’s cause and effect, as you say; yet in the middle of that is the now. Dogs are excellent examples of staying right, exactly in the moment. And of not judging.
Remember the days before Wi-Fi? Less stressful, as I recall. So, wishing you peace on your Botswana journey. As I’ve said, I’m pretty sure you’ll come back thinking differently about life. 🙂
I’ve just responded to Guilie’s comment above and said about dog rescue which she’s involved in and now I read yours Samantha and see you say about dogs … and I hadn’t read yours up until now! Thank you for coming by …
N is for Now… How perfect. I find it challenging, too, Susan—but I always saw it as, rather than reinventing myself (though I love to do that 😀 ), an exercise on being present… It’s so easy to let our minds wander into what we did, wish we had done or could do, or might do in the future.
Wow, kudos on the mental addition! My dad could do that, and I loved watching him do it. As for me, numbers and I have never seen eye-to-eye 😀
Happy travels! We’ll all be looking forward to hearing all about it when you get back.
It is an exercise in being present Guilie isn’t it no matter the situation – and with dogs and rescue, vital! Glad your father could add mentally – so could mine in a flash …
The peace and quiet will be worth it. All the best!
Thank you Sharon, it was wonderful!
Being NOW in an enjoyable environment makes you feel centered and magnifies the PRESENT so you feel you know WHO you really are:- Very pure, simple, and perfect, as the Buddha said.
SERENITY IS YOUR’S TO BE ENJOYED!
Thank you Joseph!
Blogg hopping from North Carolina and happy to find your blog. I love this about the #Challenge. As a writer, I am interested in how people do reinvent themselves throughout the years. We need to and it is a creative endeavor. A gardener, I will follow your blog now finding it easy to read and navigate. If you have time or interest, I have written about hotels and inns for this year’s theme. Looking forward to more of your posts.
Thanks for coming by Stepheny – we do re-invent ourselves don’t we? I’ll be checking your posts too, though it may take me some days as I’m trying rather desperately to catch up.
Enjoy the peace.
Thank you Kimberley – it was wonderful!
You’re rigjt, Susan. We can’t reinvent ourselves all the time, but we can try our best. The ‘now’ comes and goes so fast. Great to enjoy it while we can.
Now is gone … thanks Silvia!
A perfect post for ‘Now’. I loved it. As always, you give me food for thought. I agree with your No about being overcharged. I think part of standing up for yourself and knowing that you’re worth it, not to be cheated. Although, I understand that most of the time it is unintentional – computers coded wrong, prices not changed etc. But…sometimes it is. I find that the more I keep an eye on this, the more I pay attention to other details in my life.
Have a wonderful trip!! Enjoy EVERY MOMENT!
Thanks Trisha for coming by. You’re right, keeping an eye on some things means keeping an eye also on other things 🙂 We’re back as of last evening – am looking forward to yours and others’ posts and catching up!
I dislike being overcharged also. It is something that I speak up about. Not because I am stingy but because I want to be a good steward of what is given to me.
Have a great trip to Botswana. I think I would like visiting it but it would take some getting used to with no wi-fi.
Visiting from the A to Z Blog Challenge.
Shalom,
Patricia @ EverythingMustChange
We’re back as of last evening Pat, thank you for coming by. You put that well about being a good steward. Shalom to you, Susan
Susan, I am trying to focus on the Now. An elusive item, as this post was written in the past and my comment will be read in the future… hmm, too much for my head today.
It’s hard to always focus on the now Beth, we can’t help thinking of the future, at least I find that so for me. And now I’m commenting on a post already from the past – yup it’s hard to wrap my head around it …
I am glad you are learning to be in the “now.” Plus, what a gift to be able to add your purchases so accurately. I wish I had that gift! Enjoy your time away!
Thank you Gwynn for coming by! We’re home ..
Being in the ‘now’ is such an imperative for happy living. Yet, sometimes it’s the hardest thing to do. I think ‘no’ comes with ‘now’ to an extent because we need to set clear healthy boundaries in order not to be pulled back into the past or towards the uncertainty of the future. Hope you’ve landed safely. Enjoy your adventure, Susan.
We landed safely last evening Gulara thank you … hopefully will get to your posts soon.
I can’t imagine living only in the now. I plan and debrief and that informs my future ‘now’. Hmmm…
I’m in your club Jacqui, thank you for coming by.
I wish you very well in the bush. There’s no better place to be. Enjoy the freedom from WiFi. We’ll all be here when you get back! I love the photo you’ve included of the Buddha and bird.
Thank you Stephanie.