The Present Moment is Your Heaven On Earth – Moxie On Monday

Redondo Beach, CA

“Perhaps we meet our heaven at the start and not the end of life.” – John Updike 

Is there such a thing as Heaven on Earth?

I wasn’t so sure.

Until Midlife.

Until I smelled the roses.

I was watching an interview the other day. It was with Jennifer Aniston. I’m a fan girl. OK – HUGE Fan Girl! It’s hard to believe she just turned 51. She was sharing an experience she had in a yoga class. She was with a close friend. At the end of class, she turned to her friend and said something to the effect that she was in heaven. A simple moment, She realized that she didn’t want to be anywhere but exactly where she was. From what she shared, she was experiencing the power of the present moment. She was experiencing a blissful sweet moment where she wasn’t in the past and she wasn’t in the future. And, it was divine.

Divine moments.

Little slices of heaven.

Heaven on earth.

It’s interesting, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve found more little slices of heaven on earth.

Like snuggling with my brand new puppy, Moxie.

Heaven.

Pure heaven.

When we’re younger, all we want to do is get older. When we’re 14, we can’t wait to get to 15 to get our work permit. When we’re 15, we can’t wait to get to 16 so we can get behind that wheel and get our drivers license. Then, it’s getting to the drinking age, 21 – and on and on it goes.

All of a sudden, we’re older, wishing we were younger.

That is, until, Midlife.

Until an awakening happens. Until, we realize we’re right where we’re meant to be. With a boatload of life experience under our belts and oodles of priceless, conscious hindsight to see our life in an entirely new way – a life that’s filled with meaning.

A meaningful Midlife.

Lately, I’ve been experiencing more of those little slice of heaven moments. It’s not that they weren’t there before. They were. But,

I wasn’t

In the moment.

I was in the past or

In the future.

Regretting the past or

Worrying about the future.

I was

Looking in all the wrong places.

Little slices of heaven are everywhere.

Not in the past.

Not in the future.

They are in the moment.

Every single moment.

In this moment.

They’re simple moments.

Sweet moments.

They’re savoring a delicious latte in the morning. They’re enjoying a breathtaking sunset in the evening. They’re a warm smile. They’re hugs and cuddles. They’re a heartfelt conversation with a Fierce sister. They’re moments of kindness. Moments of compassion. They’re a crackling fireplace on a snowy night. Or the smell of a hot apple pie baking in the oven.

They’re right here and they’re right there.

I spent much of my youth rushing – to what or to where, I have no idea.

Rushing past the little slices of heaven.

No longer.

No longer running.

No longer rushing.

Slowing down to

Enjoy the moment.

The present moment.

The moment where heaven meets earth.

The moment where little slices of heaven are

Waiting.

For you.

For me.

For us.

They say that youth is wasted on the young.

It was for me.

I truly feel as if I am re-entering my youth!

A second act brings with it

A second chance

To get it right.

To slow down.

To breathe.

To enjoy the little slice of heaven

that’s not up there but

right here.

Right now.

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