this present moment

"With the past, I have nothing to do; nor with the future. I live now."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

the ticking clock

I'm attempting to block out the sound of the ticking clock.
As the persistent noise clamors toward the future,
I'm resisting and remaining in the present moment.
For I know, if I blink, I may miss the now -
Succumb to the ticking, and all this present beauty shall be lost.

Meanwhile, the ticking tries to bombard me with questions -
Ones I don't want to answer
Or really, ones I simply don't have answers to.
There's so much imploring about tomorrow embedded within,
When it's not yet certain whether I'll make it through today.

That constant ticking threatens to paralyze me
And replace all mobility in my limbs with frozen fear.
Or, it may send my thoughts into a flurry of panic,
Racing furiously without direction to conquer the world,
In the end, accomplishing nothing at all.

I'm not entirely sure what to make of this ticking clock
As it rudely echoes throughout my mind.
But, I do know that I will continue to resist its sound and intentions.
I won't watch it steal away all I hold dear
Nor let it strip from me this present moment.

community

I absolutely love baking and cooking. Recently, I've noticed how rewarding the whole process is to me. I've come to realize though, that one of the main things I enjoy so much about baking and cooking is the opportunity to share the experience (and product) with others.

See, I can bake a batch of granola and derive satisfaction simply from the process. There's a entire additional layer of reward, however, when I am able to share the product. Truthfully, I find it rather disappointing to bake something and not have someone with whom to share it. And, it's even better if you can share the actual process of creating a meal or treat with someone else.

I've noticed more and more that this is true of virtually any facet of life. Life is better when you can share your experiences - great or small - with others. I've watched myself shy away from relationships from time to time because, let's be honest, they are risky. There's an inherent fear of vulnerability, often rooted in past hurts. Despite this, it's clear that I must continually take on the risks of community in order to experience life to its fullest - life that is full of love.

an entrepreneurial spirit

Some bits of wisdom from a blog I was reading earlier:

"If you're not creating the future, then someone else is, and that someone else will change the face of the world as you know it. But that's not the greatest danger. The greatest danger is arriving at the end of our lives and feeling like we haven't really lived. Risk is the currency of life. Without risk, there is no life. We have to be willing to risk failure in return for a sense that we are living. And it's when we're really living that we really have a shot at changing the world."

[Full article - Discover Your Inner Entrepreneur by Dan Pallotta]

without walls

"Let's break down the walls and find how to live..."
- A Sight to Behold, Eisley

breaking free

I used to crave the comfortable life.

Knowing what was to come put me at ease.

The certainty of every detail was previously sorted out,

And I was so sure that was the way it ought to be.

But now I see that’s the very life that I fear.

It’s one where I know exactly what’s around the bend –

Where I need nothing but reliance on myself,

And life is stripped of all real mystery.

That life looks more like a trap to me now.

It overlooks so much of who I really am

And so much of who I could be.

It limits potential and stifles brilliance beneath.

So, as future meets present reality

I can see that it’s high time my decisions shift

From being chained to stability and predictability

To embracing uncertainty and ambiguity.

In time, I’ll see what it is that all means,

And how this life may break free.