Living in the Present

Live simply in the moment each and every day

When I was vacationing in Hawaii with family, we visited the Pearl Harbor Memorial— a must-see in my opinion. Paying our respects to my great-great-uncle who lived out his duties on the USS California but passed away when the attack on Pearl Harbor struck, we took the little tourist boat across the way to the main memorial.

There, an older gentleman turned to my grandpa and I and said that God doesn’t give you time, He gives you moments. The man went on to explain how at one moment we [the U.S.] were doing alright and it was just another day on the base, and, in the next moment, we were under attack, burning alive, and sinking.

Looking back on this encounter, I think this little lesson should be paralleled and lived out in everyday life. It is so crucial to realize that every moment matters and you are given moments that add up to this thing called time. And time can really pass by too quickly if you let it.

Being present in each moment and taking in each encounter as they happen is how I want to enjoy and remember the time I have. So often, I find myself letting worries about the future and reflections on the past seep in and rob myself of what is happening right now. Time can feel like a thief when you let it.

These are the moments you are living right now. Enjoy them and hold each sight, sound, taste, and touch dearly as they happen. I challenge myself moving forward to realize each moment as they happen and hold them dear.

Live for the now. Be present. Make each moment matter.