The Present

Hobbits can be fussy. Hobbits can be worry-warts, staring up at the ceiling in the middle of the night, for hours on end. What is the Hobbit thinking about during those hours? I suppose he is reflecting.

This month's blog theme is 'Reflection'. "The unexamined life is not worth living", said Socrates. And that's how I've always viewed the term 'Reflection'. To me, 'Reflection' is taking a moment to step away from the busy buzz of the fly-by days and examine the past to consider the present and ponder how I would like to mold my future.

The theme of 'Reflection' brings us to the mirror. The mirror does not show us the past, and it does not show us the future. It brings us to the undeniable present moment.

The Present.

When I first met the Hobbit, things were different. We were both coming off of a couple big years of uncomfortable change, and we had a lot to stare up at the ceiling and "reflect" on in the middle of the night. But then the gift of Eckhart Tolle's book, "The Power of Now" landed in my lap and changed my world. I learned to interrupt my moments of angst and worry with one question: "How are you right now?"

How are you, really, right now in this present moment?

Admit it, you're A-Okay. Yes, maybe you've experienced some nasty moments in the past. But how are you right now? You're fine. You're lying in your comfy bed in the quiet dark of the night, gazing up at the blessed roof over your head.

That's the power of the mirror - you get to look yourself in the eye in this present moment. Your reflection looks back at you. Sometimes it makes you laugh, sometimes it makes you smile, and sometimes it makes you cry. But whatever it does, it brings you to the present moment, and the present moment is a gift. You can always choose to pause, savor, and give thanks when you become aware of the present moment.

In those early years of my relationship with the Hobbit, I'd often grab is hand and say, "Yes, but how are you right now?" In the years that have passed since we met, his brow has softened and he spends a lot more time reflecting in the present moment (he calls this "pondering life"). When you ponder life, you are not "stewing and brewing", you are simply taking a little time for yourself to enjoy the sweetness of the moment.

There are days, of course, when the Hobbit still needs a little reminding and he pauses for a moment in front of the mirror and laughs (this reminder popped up in one of our master bathroom mirrors very recently):

But now - sometimes, it is he who grabs my hand and says, "Yes, but how are you right now?" And I have to admit, I am A-Okay.