Life is the name of continual motion. My counter is constantly running and I have no control over it. In fact, none of the billions of people walking this earth right now, have any control over this counter. It keeps running and running until one day when it will abruptly stop. That day, life as I know it, will cease to exist.

I enjoy the great outdoors and feel blessed to be living in Ottawa, one of the most beautiful cities I have ever come across. It has natural sanctuaries to help re-build our lost connection with nature. I often longingly gaze at the river and think about how so many people before me have come and gone, yet the river remains. It is majestic and grand and runs free through the city, as it has for many generations.

Like the river, I often wish to run free, free of any socially constructed financially motivated boundaries to really change the world. Millions amongst us wish to leave a deep, meaningful impact on the world, I too wish to give back what the universe has awarded me with.

Next year will mark the end of the third decade of my life. Three decades have passed in a flash. Imagine if I knew as a teen, what I know now. How would the course of my life be different? How would I have a greater impact on this world, on my world?

Live in the moment

Looking back I feel like one of my biggest mistake has been my inability to be completely in the moment. I have either tried to live in the past or with dreams of a brighter, bigger future, whilst ignoring my current, my present, my now. I have missed many moments in life trying to come to terms with the fact that I can’t be everywhere at the same time, I need to be where I am completely in order to live in the moment.

It’s like trying to make a video of the fireworks in front of you. Why not put the phone away for a few minutes, and live in the moment, let the eyes see the world without the filter of your phone in front. Remember, the fireworks won’t last long, but the memories will last decades. No matter how great your camera is, it is not better than your eyes and cannot remember moments with their feelings, like the mind can. So Next time you are watching the fireworks, live in the moment and create memories.

Fireworks

Life is a counter. At this very moment, you are the youngest you will ever be, so live this unique moment and create memories, not videos.

 

P.S. Nobody likes to watch a video of last year’s fireworks that you made on your phone =)

What advice would you give to yourself 10 years ago?