The past, I think, has helped me appreciate the present— Pick the day. Enjoy it—to the hilt. The day as it comes. People as they come . . . and I don’t want to spoil any of it by fretting about the future. Audrey Hepburn

We humans are time travelers—we get lost fantasizing about the future or are taken hostage by our thoughts of the past. The present is the place of incarnation and creation. So sit down with a freshly brewed cup of coffee and relish the aroma. Sip and appreciate the complexity of flavors. This is possible only in the present moment. If you’re caught up in yesterday’s news, or tomorrow’s to-do list, you’re not here in the present enjoying your cup of coffee. Yes, plan for the future but don’t get lost in it with anxious thoughts. Worry is a waste.

Sometimes you might look down and wonder what happened to that cup of coffee because it’s gone and you don’t remember drinking it. Your life is like that. The accelerated pace you live in requires that you come back to the present; otherwise you’ll look around and it will be gone. The kids will have been raised, the body won’t be quite as nimble, and retirement will be in your thoughts. Being present to enjoy a cup of coffee is an important practice in escaping the prison of the past and the lure of the future. Allow that cup to be a spiritually grounding experience teaching you to be fully appreciative to enjoy the abundance of your life in this now moment.

Spiritual Contemplation: Take a good amount of time to be fully present with that cup of coffee. What else do you want to be fully present to?

Affirmation: I am fully present in the here and now.

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