Little Gurus

"The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it."--Thich Nhat Hanh

Yesterday afternoon, on our way back home from visiting some newborn goats and lambs at a nearby farm, the girls and I decided to stop off for a short stroll and some playtime at a park. While we were there, it began to rain. Since no rain was in the forecast, we had not brought umbrellas or rain jackets, so of course I suggested we head back to the car. "Why???" the girls cried incredulously. "Well, uh, we're going to get wet." "Great!" they said. So we stayed. It turns out that it really is extra-fun to swing and spin and climb in the rain. Soon, though, being the incurable adult that I am, I got concerned that my cell phone was going to be ruined and my backpack soaked through, so I insisted we go. I did consent to take the longer path to the car, and we had a lovely time dancing and singing in the rain as we went. Once back home, we hopped out of the car and immediately headed out for another quick stroll up the lane to the mailbox. (We'd "forgotten" to mail the letter we'd brought with us.) Of course, the girls were not yet ready to come inside when we returned and headed straight to the barnyard to frolic with their furry and feathered friends in what was now a downpour. When I joined them there a little while later to feed the goats and batten down the hatches for the night, they were showering under the stream pouring from the chicken coop's gutter and giggling uncontrollably.

Sadly, most of us grown-up folks seem to need reminders from religious or scholarly gurus to live fully in the present moment. We spend most of our days obsessing over what has been and/or what may be--fretting, anticipating, dreading, planning, organizing, controlling. While our productivity is often impressive, joy generally eludes us. Fortunately, there are little gurus all around us, providing endless lessons in living wisdom. Find one of them today. Take his or her hand, and ask for some pointers. I promise s/he will happily enlighten you.