Many years ago I read a book that profoundly touched my life, “A Year To Live” by Stephen Levine. In the book the author documents a one-year experiment as if he had one year to live. He starts to live each day as if it was his last. The concept of the book is to live consciously and mindfully, every single day, hour, each moment, as if it were our last. Throughout the year he lives moment by moment and enjoys life from a deeper level. Why worry about tomorrow because tomorrow my never come, so then the focus becomes on the present.
If we think about it, it is really funny. What is the use of continually thinking about where we are going next week? If we are so busy planning where we are going we cannot fully enjoy where we are now. We will be in the same predicament when next week becomes a now. If our happiness consists of reviewing memories and expectations we become dimly aware of the present. We have formed a habit of looking behind and ahead, making it difficult to appreciate the present. If our awareness of the past and future makes us less aware of the present, we must not actually be living in the real world.
When you train your mind to be continually in the moment your awareness becomes heightened. You can actually savor the taste of your food, the joy when the shower washes over your body and you can feel each day as the seasons change. There is a new clarity and your path on Earth becomes clearer and the stillness of your mind opens up to your dreams. Steve Jobs said, “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” He was a man who followed his words and made the impossible come true. As he lay in bed waiting for death to approach he looked beyond his family and his finial words were, “Oh wow, Oh wow, Oh wow.” Steve Jobs created many amazing things in his life and if he said “Oh wow” it must be great.
With each client I talk too, in some way it is confirmed to me how wonderful death and the afterlife is when life is completed. I am now in the body to experience life on Earth. Do I worry about tomorrow or long for the past? No, I make the most of today.
I wanted to speak to the spirit of my mother. In my meditation I visualized going to my home that I lived in as a child, longing to be there with my mother again. I heard her voice say to me, “Don’t look back, live for today and make new memories.”
About 20 years ago I joined an Adopt a Whale program and they randomly gave me a whale name Granny. At that time I was hopeful to one day meet Granny. For anyone who knows me, they know how passionate I am about Orcas and the policies concerning them. So, if I was going to live today as it was my last I must fulfill my dream. I decided to go to the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington State to visit the Orca Whales. Each day that I spent there I was in awe of these beautiful creatures. On the first day, while watching we saw a pod of Orcas looking for food. Two young males, Cookie and his brother Doublestuff were swimming next to their pod. Telepathically Cookie knew how I longed to see these Orcas. He left his brother and disappeared under the water. The next thing I knew his amazing presence was next to our boat. I reached out to him and thanked him for fulfilling my dream. On the last day of my trip, it was a very quiet day out on the water. There were very few whales but as we were heading back two whales came from out of the distance and one tipped her fluke. It was Granny. She is now 103 years old and as beautiful as she was in her picture 20 years ago.
I know my mother was happy that I was creating new memories. Our loved ones want us to move forward in life, enjoy each day until it is our last. The end as we know it will come, we will be together again but for now, no more “could, should or would have”, but instead find your happiness living your dreams in the here and now.