This morning I was having a coffee and a croissant at a coffee shop when I saw a lady (she is a regular at Yogilates) walking on the other side of the street. She was walking slowly, looking down on the street, and I could see that she was quite lost in her thoughts, in some imaginary world of worry and preoccupation; unaware of the beautiful day around her. I called her, she came over to my table, and her face completely changed. A beautiful and sweet smile appeared on her face, and it was clear that, at least for those few seconds we shared, her problems and worries had disappeared.
After she left, I kept going in my head over what just had happened, and I felt a strong need to communicate with you, and these following words are the result of that desire:
Don’t miss the light. I know we all (of course, myself included!) have difficulties, problems, situations that need to be solved. It is not easy to live, to find our place in society, to deal with debts or long hours of work or health problems or hundreds and hundreds of different situations that may arise in our every day life. But even so, don’t miss the light, don’t miss the moment, don’t miss your life.
Look up. Don’t spend every moment of your life trying to solve those problems. If there is something to think, something to resolve, a decision to make, then of course, sit down, and think about it. But, if at any particular moment there is nothing that can be done about a certain problem or difficulty (and I know for certain that 99% of the time there is nothing we can do about them) then let them go…and see the light, see the moment. (Don’t forget that it is never what happened, but it is always what we believe that happened that counts. And in order to see what we believe – as opposed to only seeing what happened – we need that space in the mind that can only exist when we look up).
Look up, and just like when stumbling upon a dear friend enjoying coffee and a croissant, smile, relax and experience the beauty of being alive.
Don’t miss the moment.
Don’t miss the light.
Carlos,
you are great! Your words changed my life and the way I see the light everyday., even if it happened in time, ..And I am thankful for that!
Hugs and smiles and light,
Alex:)
Big like 🙂
Is it coincidence? your thoughts often are catching me exact in the right moment. Thanks a lot for this big present in the daily life… Sibylle
Carlos, thank you for writing this 🙂
Props for the words of wisdom!
I needed to remember that! Thank you so much!
I do have worries, concerns & health issues. What life has taught me is that I need to stay in the PRESENT. Thinking and worrying about the future is not going to help me much. I am thankful for EACH and every single day that I am able to enjoy & spend it with the loved ones. I am thankful for having lovely parents & friends. And I do remember to smile on the street..at work..at night before falling asleep. I am thankful for having met someone who taught me what MINDFUL is all about.
Smile & pay it forward 🙂