Daylight’s precious when you’re a youngin’ – Andy Griffith
Take the time to be in the moment. Don’t just listen. Don’t just take pictures. What are the scents? What do the seats feel like? How is the temperature? Are you feeling nervous or thrilled? On stage or in the audience, live your life in the moment.
What does that mean?
This quote is about what matters when you’re young and how that changes as we age. In this quote, Andy’s son is outside, playing. He want’s to stay out just a little longer, because it’s almost dark, and once it’s dark, bedtime is always seems to be following so very close behind.
But to the adults, dark is just a lack of sunlight, and life continues until bedtime, and usually that’s at least a few hours after dark. This was more true in rural areas, especially back in the 50’s and 60’s. There were always things to do after the kids were put to bed, and before you turned in.
It also points out how precious the present is, and how sometimes, as adults, we forget about that importance. We have plenty of time, so we’ll get to it later. For kids, the present is all they really have, so they do what they can to make the most of it.
Why is this moment important?
Yesterday, we talked about the importance of today. Today, I want to talk about being in the moment, this instant, the right now. Were you able to follow that? Can you do something yesterday? Only as a metaphor. Can you do something tomorrow? You can plan it, but until that time gets here, you can’t do something tomorrow.
The only time you can do something is right this second. Right now I’m typing. While you are reading it at a different time than I typed, right now, you’re reading it. You might also be listening to music, chirping birds, or screaming children. But you are only doing things this moment.
So many people spend too much of their lives ignoring this moment while focusing on that which is past, or thinking (or dreading) what is in the future. While there is nothing wrong with spending some of the present considering our past actions, or planning our future actions, we must remember to take action while the moment is here, for far too short a time, the daylight will be gone.
Where can I apply this in my life?
I learned to be present in the moment as a kind of meditation. I would take about 5 minutes each morning, and just sit and pay attention to what was going on around me. Not just notice the clock ticking, but focusing for a few seconds on the actual sound, to the exclusion of all else.
What’s that scent? What is red in the room? Am I warm or cool? Just my toes, or all of me? What is the texture of the object on which I’m sitting? Other times, I’d to a quick one to help pass the time while doing something otherwise repetitious and boring.
Are you washing the dishes by hand? Let’s give it a try. What does each item feel like when wet and soapy? What do they feel like when you have rinsed them? How heavy are they? What do the bubbles look like, and how do they move down the object you are washing when you lift it up?
Rather than spending the time thinking about the past, or worrying about (or better, planning for) the future, you can practice being here in the present, totally focused on what you are doing. As I was typing that section, I was feeling the keys, the pressure, the texture, the motion, the temperature, everything about them. Kind of neat, really.
Some people can get caught up in something like a sports game, or a favorite TV show, but a lot of people don’t do much in this moment. Or rather, they don’t focus on it, since everything they do, by definition happens in the moment, right?
Try setting aside a few minutes each day, while doing something you would normally do (like the dishes), and try to stay completely focused on that moment. Use all your senses, and try to lightly brush aside any thoughts, memories, or plans. Stay focused on this moment in time.
Each time you practice, it should get a little easier to do it. And each time you practice, a little more sticks with you. Pretty soon, you’re going to catch yourself taking a little extra time to be in the moment at odd times during the day.
Savor what you can while you have it. For all of us, the daylight will eventually fade. Daylight’s a precious thing when you’re older too.
From: Twitter, @OliviaGiachino
confirmed at : http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053479/quotes?qt0143942
Photo by woodleywonderworks
The Andy Griffith Show premiered on the 3rd of October, 1960.
