Living In The Moment

By Kristy McCaffrey

“People say that what we’re all seeking is a meaning for life. I don’t think that’s what we’re really seeking. I think that what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonances within our own innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive.”

                        ~ Joseph Campbell, The Power Of Myth

It’s a new year, and with that comes resolutions and declarations. And while, in the past, I’ve resolved to not eat sugar on Thursdays, or to try at least one new recipe a week, I decided this year for something more intangible, yet, I believe, just as important.

Living in the moment.

We’ve all heard this before, and it’s undoubtedly one of the most-used clichés around, but hear me out.

Over the holidays, I had a chance to see “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” starring Ben Stiller. With breathtaking locations, the film offers the intriguing theme of living life rather than simply dreaming about it. There is one key scene that stands out, a turning point, of sorts, for Mitty. He has been attempting to track down a famous, yet elusive, photographer named Sean O’Connell (played by Sean Penn). Finally, somewhere in the Himalaya, he practically trips over him. This may seem farfetched, but really, it’s not. View the movie and you’ll understand. O’Connell is trying to photograph a snow leopard, known as the ghost cat because it’s so difficult to capture on film. There is little doubt that’s he’s invested much time and effort to find this creature, that his livelihood depends on taking photos such as these. Suddenly, one appears, but O’Connell pauses, not taking the picture. Mitty asks why, and O’Connell responds that sometimes he just wants the moment for himself, clear and unfettered, without the distraction of the camera. It’s the moment that’s everything.

So, I wish for everyone the ability to pause, to let the worries slide away, for at least one moment every day. Watch a bird outside, notice the woman scanning your groceries and wish her a nice day, look at the sparkles in the snow or the wispy clouds in the sky. Be grateful for simple things—a cup of coffee, your favorite sitcom making you laugh, a visit with an elderly relative that you know may be your last.

Enjoy your moments this year for what they really are—a connection to life and proof that you’re alive.