1999-2019: Celebrating 20 Years of Ripples
Ripples #1048: A Collection of Moments!
June 24, 2019
PEBBLE
Life is made up of a collection of moments that are not ours to keep. The pain we encounter throughout our days spent on this earth comes from the illusion that some moments can be held on to…clinging to people and experiences that were never ours in the first place is what causes us to miss out on the beauty of the miracle that is the now.
-Rachel Brathen, shared by Tom in Kansas City, MO
BOULDER
If there’s one thing I want to take away from Paul’s speech, it’s that living in the moment is essential. Planning is great, but if you’re always looking ahead you’re never taking in what’s around you. Reflection is valuable, but if you’re always looking back you never know what good things are coming your way. “Here, Now:” I love that.
-Conor Van Santen, written and shared by Conor from St. Louis University, MO
PONDER
Today’s Boulder was extracted from a message forwarded to me last fall after I gave a talk to a few hundred energized residence hall leaders. I appreciate how succinctly Conor framed the benefits and costs of looking ahead (planning) and looking back (reflection).
I was also pleased that he embraced the HERE NOW mantra that began as a private, sacred ritual I whispered to myself before stepping on stage and transformed into a core component of most talks I give. Just last week a graduating Cal Poly student made my day when he put the message on his mortarboard (Thanks for that honor, Sean!)
Life is so darn full and so darn busy these days; it seems to zoom by faster than we can savor it. Remembering to pause and take some deep breaths while repeating HERE NOW a few times can help us stay more present and more appreciative of the collection of moments that create a full life.
I’m going to strive to be a little more here and a little more now during this week’s collection of moments, and I invite you to join me. Are you in?
Peace,
Paul
The Ripples Guy
