I visited a member recently at her home, and it was so clear that God has been with her in her life. She handed me a piece of paper with a reflection on Henri Nouwen's theme, "Here and Now":
Henri Nouwen writes on the theme Here and Now, "To live in the present, we must believe deeply that what is most important is the here and now." He reminds us that we are so easily distracted by our concerns about tomorrow and our remembrances of the past. How true his insight is.
Too often we worry about what has happened in the past, knowing we can never return to correct or change the outcome. But still, we make it a concern, going over and over in our minds how we could have made it different, saying, "if only I had."
Or, we worry about the future, even when we know that anything can change at a moment's notice, that nothing is ever certain in life. Still, we are anxious if this will happen or if that will occur, planning that may never come to fruition. Our only guarantee is change.
In the days ahead, take time each day to be present in the here and now. Listen to the person before you. Breathe deeply the air of the day into which God has placed you. See the colors and signs of the season. Feel the coolness of the days of autumn. Be grateful for the present.
Here and now, there is much for us to savor and embrace.
Amen.
