Right here, right now

One of my favorite bloggers/tweeps/authors, Patti Digh, has a unique graduation gift idea for her daughter. She is assembling an e-book of advice made up of contributions from others.

I toyed with the idea of writing something for the e-book, but gave it up as silly after reading contributions from people of note, considering that:

1. I don't actually know Patti beyond Twitter.
2. I don't know Patti's daughter at all (not even a single tweet of connection), so what wisdom could I possibly impart to her?
3. I'm not "known" beyond my own little corner of the universe and have few credentials as a writer, artist, etc.
4. Who am I to give advice to young adults?

Then, I read one of Patti's blog posts, "How to write (a book). A wee rant." After reading it, I felt compelled to submit something for the e-book. After all, I really do love writing and I seem to have some insight about people. Not much risk to just sending an email. I mean, who would ever know? So what if they did?

So I did it.

I wrote about a lesson I'm still learning, but am practicing with more skill every day. It's a lot like that bumper sticker you see everywhere, "One Day at a Time." It merely took me half a lifetime to undersand what that really means.

And, now that I actually wrote it all down, I like it. And I want to share it. So, here is my advice to a 17-year-old stranger, in all its 350-words-or-less glory:

Consider this: Right now is always the best moment of your life

My kids sometimes ask, “Mommy, what was your favorite age?” I answer truthfully, “The age I am.”

Or, they ask, “What was the best time you ever had?” I explain (in simpler words – my kids are young), “I’ve had amazingly memorable times, such as each of your births. But, the best time is right now because this moment is built upon all of those times plus endless possibilities, and I am creating it.”

Right now is always the best moment of your life.

Learn from and laugh about the past, build and dream for the future, but live now. Be fully in the present. Extract every bit of nowness surrounding you and absorb it into your cells. With every experience, every thought, and every feeling, more of who you are emerges.

You are doing something, thinking something, feeling something right now – good, bad, cheesy, brilliant, joyful, painful, dull, thrilling, or a million other possibilities. And, it is wonderful. You will never have a moment exactly like this one again. That’s wonderful, too.

Being in the now makes it easier to handle anything, regret nothing, and love life – and everyone and everything in it – in all its wonderful, endearing imperfection. Nothing is overwhelming, insurmountable, or unforgivable when it is considered in moment-sized parcels. Conversely, the tsunami of joy that can surge through your soul in a single moment defies reason. It’s a beautifully imbalanced equation.

Right now is always the best moment of your life.

Additional note: She posted it! Look here.

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