'Inhabit your moments'

These days we hear so much about the importance of living in the moment. It may sound trite after a while. But that doesn't mean it's not important.

Writer Jerry Spinelli put it this way: "Live today. Not yesterday. Not tomorrow. Just today. Inhabit your moments. Don't rent them out to tomorrow."

I especially like those last two sentences. "Inhabit your moments." Inhabit means "live in or occupy." That suggests far more than our body being in the moment, doesn't it? To really occupy something means to be fully present: body, mind and spirit. And "Don't rent them out to tomorrow." Yes, indeed. Our moments aren't for rent. Not to anyone else. And not even to us for another day. 

It's not easy, however. I'll be the first to admit that. Sometimes we're caught up in regret—or even in the delicious remembering of past events. And sometimes we're caught up in worry about the future—or even in the joyful anticipation of upcoming events. That's all well and good. But if either of those steals us away from the present, we're missing out on so much of life. All we can do is our best—trying to stay awake and aware so we can savor each moment as it happens. Focus on right now. Pay attention to all your senses. Be here now.