I think it’s fair to say that we certainly live in the busiest culture and times.

Everyone’s got something to do or somewhere to be. Cost of living is high. Many are struggling to make ends meet with one job, so they take on two or more jobs.

Many are struggling to keep a certain lifestyle, so they’re working to keep up with the lifestyle and the Joneses.

Students are overworked. Going to college has gotten super competitive. So you have to work yourself in high school. Multiple AP classes. Time consuming and life draining extra curricular activities. Good grades. And somewhere in all that, trying to remember to be teenagers.

On top of that, we’re probably the most distracted beings to ever walk this (so far, still) green earth.

It’s not enough to have the TV on, but we need to see what’s going on the world wide web and to see who’s texting us. When we’re with human friends, we’re trying to keep up with our Facebook friends. Multi-tasking has become the norm.

What I want to get across is that we need to really practice the art of being present in the present. Because we’re so busy, because we’re so distracted, our minds are everywhere. We could be spending quality time with good company, but our minds are thinking of the all the work that is waiting for us when we part. We could be sitting on the beaches of the North Shore in Hawaii, and we just can’t shake off what’s going on in the workplace without us. We could be hanging out with family members, and all we can think about how much longer we have to endure the suffering (just kidding about that one). (… I think…)

And because our mind is everywhere but here and the now, we can miss out on the little blessings God showers on us everyday.

If you don’t know, I tend to be a worrier. This post is meant for me more than anywhere else because I find myself worrying about things that really is unnecessary. And on top of being distracted by my worries, I’m just easily distracted. I’m a day dreamer of some sorts. During meetings (or class, during school days), my eyes always find the window and I think about where I could be… And when I’m “where I could be” I think about the meetings that are taking place. Sick, huh?

Recently, I was able to sneak in a little siesta after a meeting and found myself on a lookout point overlooking the ocean. The sun was setting and the sky looked like it was on fire. If the beauty of looking at a sunset next to the ocean wasn’t enough, there was a family of dolphins swimming near by.

I soaked it all in. The smell of the ocean. The cool sea breeze. The sound of the ocean. The view of the sunset. The sight of the dolphins swimming. It was truly a holy moment, and I felt tremendously blessed.

And for the first time, in a little while, I found myself completely present in the present.