"There is nothing to do but be..."

Do you ever feel like life just whizzes by? The time only seems to go faster the older we get. The weeks are long but the years are short. I feel like I'm always asking myself where the time goes. I'm learning that living in the present brings the one thing most people spend their lives trying to achieve: peace. Relaxing in the present moment puts you in a state of calm. I've come to cherish the moments in life when I can take time to reflect. It's important to me that I take some silence every day. No phones ringing, nobody asking me to do anything; a brief escape into my imagination.

Today, my work load at the office was significantly lighter than it has been in quite some time. I decided to take advantage of the fact that I could actually take a full lunch break, and I wandered down to the waterfront. After doing a loop along the path, admiring the bright, spring flowers and soaking up some much needed vitamin D, I found a spot on a bench and took a deep breath. I sat in silence, watching playful dogs run around in front of me and listening to the waves wash up on the shore.

Many of us race through life, always on our way somewhere, to do something. I'm really trying to take the time to enjoy the ride; to stop and smell the flowers, as they say. I think it's important to allow yourself to really live the moment. Appreciate the experiences that you have. I'm not saying that we should all just float through life; only that we should pause occasionally and allow ourselves to be fully rooted in a moment and feel a sense of peace as a result.