Live for the moment

Took my daughter to a birthday party today and as I watched them playing in the garden I thought how innocent they looked. How they didn’t have a care in the world. They had no worries, nothing mattered to them, past or future. They were living for the moment. Is it too much to ask ourselves as adults to live for the moment? Why is it so important to plan ahead? Why can’t we deal with each situation as it arrives? Why do we spend so much of our time wondering what’s going to happen next and plan to avoid any potential pitfalls? Sometimes I find that we are so caught up planning and preparing that we miss what is happening right in front of our eyes and we miss so many opportunities that we could’ve otherwise capitalised on.

Experience teaches wisdom…one would have thought. Why is it then that we find ourselves repeating the same situations over and over again? Is it that we haven’t learned from our past experience or is it that we refuse to learn? Does it mean that we choose to ignore our past experiences in order to ‘live for the moment’ and take each situation for what it is at that moment?

How many of us constantly ‘bury our heads in the sand’ (or mud in the case of the photo :)) and ignore what’s happening because “I’ve done it again” or “I can’t/don’t want to face it”? Let’s look at our relationships. People say, never regret but learn from your experience. Forgive but remember so you will make better choices in the future. I often hear people ask the question “Why do I always choose these guys/girls?” Because either you can’t learn, refuse to learn, or you are ‘living for the moment’. You are totally submerged in the euphoria of being with new guy/girl that you forget/ignore what happened last time round.

I suppose in one way ‘living for the moment’ where new relationships are concerned is a good thing. Why? Because you are taking new person on their merit and not being judgemental or making unnecessary, sometimes untrue assumptions about them. You are not painting them all with the same brush because the last ‘apple’ wasn’t as sweet and you found a worm in it. Your guard isn’t up and you are open to receive whatever that person has to offer, and free to give yourself totally without reservation. Are you that ‘live for the moment’ person?

Some people have perhaps learned too well from their past experiences, and have built up a Fort Knox type fortress around their heart. This fortress is impenetrable and no matter how sharp cupid’s arrows are, they don’t stand a chance in hell of getting through! I don’t think I’m as extreme as the type I’ve described but most of you will agree that failed relationships hurt like hell! We remember that feeling and don’t want a second dose of that, so we protect ourselves. By doing this we stand a chance to lose who could’ve been ‘the one’ for us. We are looking ahead and making preparations to ensure we don’t get hurt again and missing the perfect opportunity as they walk on. Why should they waste their time and energy chiseling away at your barriers when they don’t know what they’re going to find behind that wall? Are you worth the risk?

You are a closed book with a blank cover and no blurb. You give nothing away. Will you…can you take the gamble of possibly being hurt again in order to ‘live for moment’ and receive love? To genuinely give love? To enter the relationship game with the innocence of a child who has no worries, no cares and who ‘lives for the moment’? I’m not so sure. One love.