Living In The Present

“This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.”

_Psalm 118:24

Basic Necessities

When you wake up each morning, do you ever think twice about the fact that, if you are one of the fortunate people in half the world, you have food in your pantry, a closet full of clothing, shoes, and jewelry, and a roof over your head with a comfortable place to lay your head at night?

Food, clothing, and shelter. The very basic necessities of life. For those of us who have those things readily available to us, are these the things that make us happy in life? Let me tell you a story about the people living in French Polynesia.

In 2004 I traveled to French Polynesia and visited the islands of Tahiti, Bora Bora, and Moorea. You should know that French Polynesia consists of hundreds of islands that are in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, surrounded by nothing but water.

The cost of living is extremely expensive because of the cost to import goods there because of its remote location. I remember back then that gasoline at the few gas stations on the islands was over $6.00 a gallon! (The price in the U.S. at that time was around $1.88 a gallon) Needless to say, many of the islands’ inhabitants couldn’t afford to drive a car.

Most of the citizens work on the main island of Tahiti, with tourism being the greatest source of income for the economy. If they live on one of the outer islands, they have to take a ferry boat over to the main island to go to work every day. Talk about a commute! Yet this is part of their daily routine and is the reality of where they live. You may wonder where I’m going with this…

I wanted to make a point about living in a place where people mostly have to exist on food that is locally produced on the islands due to the high cost of importing other food sources. They have a long commute that might require a long walk to get to the port to catch the daily ferry to get to work, their yearly wages average less than $20,000 USD, and most families live in homes that were passed down from generation-to-generation.

Yet the interesting thing to me when I was there observing the people native to the islands – EVERYONE WAS SMILING! Tahitians live simply and don’t have the disposable income and luxury items that many of us have, but they are content with what they have. They are very relational people; that is a thing of value. Would you be content with the same set of circumstances?

Our Response to Changing Circumstances

I think of all the changes America has had over the last two years. Every aspect of life is experiencing certain changes – and not all of them are positive changes. It got me thinking about people who have come here from other countries looking for a better way of life. America – THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY.

I researched some of their countries to see how and when their economies started changing to the point where they didn’t want to live there anymore. I tried to imagine living in a country with some of those politics and economics in place. Yet there are people there, who for whatever reason, can’t leave their country and must continue to live there. When you have been used to a certain standard of living that has been taken away from you, how does that affect your view of each day and of the life you now have?

When your circumstances change, do you feel like giving up or do you gain a new perspective and, perhaps, have an appreciation for what was but try to find the good in your new normal? When we are faced with a new normal, whether it be a health issue, a change in finances, relationship issues, or any other situation beyond our control, we have to make a decision. 

If you are living in circumstances that are beyond your control, the one thing that is still within your control is your RESPONSE to those things.

If you are given a bad health report, can you find strength and hope in beautiful music, in prayer, in connection with a Higher Power?

If you experience a job loss, could you use that as an opportunity to turn a hobby that you love into a business, or perhaps take advantage of a volunteer opportunity that could turn into employment or fill a temporary need of being purposeful?

If your marriage has ended, or if a relationship doesn’t turn out the way you hoped it would, can you take a nature walk and appreciate the beauty of a sunrise, leaves changing color, the sound the wind makes as it blows through the trees, the unexpected sight of a whale swimming in the ocean as your toes grip the warm sand? The beauty of God’s creation can inspire new perspective, or just simply be a thing of beauty that puts you in a different mindset for a time.

Support Systems

Family and a circle of trusted friends can also be lifegiving if your current moments are bringing you down. I have always felt that relationships are one of the most important things in life. Talking out your feelings or having someone to give you a hug are very underrated.

No, your problems won’t go away overnight, and that hurt in your heart may take some time to heal, but human beings were made to be relational and to have contact with others. Although having time by yourself for reflection is a good thing, isolation as a way of life is not.

If you are a person who has always had difficulty living in the present moment, change won’t happen overnight. Just like any new thing you try to incorporate into your life, you will have to make a conscious effort daily to live in what today offers. To find one thing that brings you joy or that helps you forget life’s troubles within that 24-hour period.

Pretty soon, that one thing may become two things or three things. And before you can say, “Carpe diem” you will notice an appreciation for something within each day.