Peace in the Present

Happy New Year! Welcome, 2021! Last year was a year like none other! It had many of us wondering if we were in the Twilight Zone. The loss we suffered in 2020 was immeasurable, and with gratitude, we welcome this new year. Although we are uncertain of many things, we remain hopeful.  

Welcome to Writeful! The blog that reminds you of your right to write your own story and inspire others to do the same!

The pandemic has given me the blessing (or the curse) of more time for self-reflection. It’s provided me the opportunity to slow down and examine who I am and how close or far I am from being the person God had in mind when He created me. I discovered what I’ve always known… I still have work to do. And I’m OK with that.

One of the questions several people have asked me is, how am I REALLY doing? How have I been able to maintain my sanity in the midst of this ever-changing environment? What anchors me in the midst of instability? 

Faith. And here are three simple yet powerful facts that my faith reminds me of. These three things have been the key to finding peace in the pandemic, calm in the chaos, and clarity in confusion. 

Forget the Past

Remember that painful childhood occurrence that left a scar that hasn’t healed completely? How about that relationship that consumed so much of you until you were almost unrecognizable to yourself and others? What about that one dreadful choice you made that altered the course of your life? What if only a moment ago, you said something so hurtful to someone you love that you wished you could take back the moment it left your lips? 

Whether it happened years or just moments ago, there is nothing you can do to change any of it. You can’t edit it. You can’t click “undo.” There is no “delete” button.

Yet, the beautiful truth is that one moment doesn’t totally define who you are or who you can become. It’s simply a moment in time…a few lines in a beautiful story that is still being written. So, forget about it! The only time you need to remember it is to help someone else who seems stuck in their past.

Forgo the Future

Do you find yourself worried if you’ve saved enough money for retirement, if your job will be outsourced, or if you are going to die prematurely? Do you often entertain thoughts of what might happen that you can’t concentrate on what is happening now? 

One of the definitions of “forgo” is to do without. Here, to forgo the future is to do without obsessing over things that haven’t happened yet and that you have no control over. If it happens two hours from now, two days from now, two years from now, or if it never happens at all, worrying about tomorrow robs you of today. Forgo the future! What you are worried about isn’t even a part of your story.

Focus on the Present

Rehearsing the past and worrying about the future will keep you paralyzed in the present. Smell the roses. Hug your family. Write that book. Sing that song. Dance to that music. Focus on today. Live in the present and make it beautiful.