Musings :: What Does it Mean to Be Present?

“Children have a way of forcing you back into the present moment.”

~Lorna Luft

Yesterday was one of those days where things didn’t seem to be going my way.  Our new puppy was driving me crazy and having to discipline him at every turn was wearing me down. I was feeling overwhelmed at meeting certain deadlines and getting caught up from taking some time off to enjoy the summer with my daughter while she was on break.  There is always a bit of mommy guilt whether you work in or out of the home I think and I try not to beat myself up when I have to work when she is home.  Working (in the home or outside) is a reality for most moms and I think it is a balancing act of trying to juggle these responsibilities. But I did want to try to cut back on the computer and be more present time with her. It wasn’t until later that night when my husband and I went into my daughter’s room to check on her and found her sleeping turned the other way in bed, under the sheets, with her head on a Star Wars Light Saber (that was blinking on and off) that I laughed and checked myself.  Checked out of being in a bad mood and jumped into the moment of being mindful and thankful for all that I have in my life.

It got me thinking about what exactly does it mean to be present?  One of the main reasons I created dandelion moms was to remind women to stay present amongst the craziness that sometimes make up our day-to-day lives as a full-time mom, wife, friend, sister, daughter, etc., etc.  But does being present mean exactly? Does it mean to stay present and be aware of our surroundings?  Of what type of mood we are in or feelings we are experiencing at that moment?  This concept of being mindful and staying present in the moment has been written and spoken about in many religions and practices.  Some call it Enlightenment, others like best-selling author Eckhart Tolle of The Power of Now writes that it is a spiritual journey to find your true and deepest self.

Maybe it means being mindful of when negativity is clouding your thoughts and affecting the way you are to those around you and to yourself.  Once we become aware of these negative messages we repeat to ourselves, maybe it is a first step to releasing them and enjoying the moment.  This happened to me a few weeks back with such clarity, I stopped and really breathed for probably the first time that day.  My daughter and I had just gotten back from running some errands and when got out of the car, we found the sprinklers on in the greenbelt in front of our house.  My daughter looked at me expectantly and I nodded my head,  and tried not to think about having to get the dinner ready and folding another round of laundry that was sitting in the dryer.  She immediately tossed off her shoes and ran full force into the sprinklers, laughing and enjoying herself immensely.  This freeness of being in the moment that children know and do so well and if we listen, can be taught to us to do again as adults is one of the many beautiful things about children.

When I looked up the definition of present this is what came up:

pres·ent, pre·sent

Of a person, in a particular place and the period of time now occurring…  I think this sums up what being present can be for us busy moms.  To be in a particular place at the period of now.  And isn’t being present with those around you in fact, a present?  It is something that is intangible but an overall feeling that years later our children will look back on their childhood and feel that mom and dad were right there with them, enjoying the moments that make up all of our lives.

Today, let’s celebrate the moment, embrace those we love and remember to let go of negative thoughts or actions that might be holding you back from allowing you to enjoy your time here, today.