It’s been twenty days since my last confession. Ha! Just kidding, it’s been twenty days since my last blog post, not confession. I only write confession because, when I sit down and calm my thoughts, it feels as though I am confessing and connecting with them on another level.
Anyway, to get back to where I last left you, I have been practicing living in what I call, “In the moment.” This sense of only worrying about what is directly in front of me, helps to engage, communicate, and respond more effectively to what is actually occurring. This does not mean, I am managing my time and energy more effectively, but it allows me to learn more in daily life than ever before.
For example, I attended one of my closest friend’s wedding this past Saturday. The day started by waking up overly dehydrated from the night’s prior over indulgence of Tequila and good times. I had approximately 3 hours to transfer myself from one friend’s, to another, to catch a ride to the hotel, to get showered, dolled up, connect with teammates, catch the shuttle and arrive at the ceremony on time. Seems like a bit of a stretch if you ask me. So, how does one exert enough focus on the immediate tasks at hand?
PUT DOWN YOUR PHONE. Stop responding to the internet. The internet will always be there and I understand the fear of missing out more than you know. So, fast forward two and a half hours, you would find myself scrambling because I have completely displaced my phone. Immediately, I think, “oh well!!!” I don’t need my phone because there will be a photographer and I’ll be surrounded by friends who I love and adore. Then anxiety sets in, because, “um hello have you met Natalie?” Meaning, if I walk that scenario out, I am afraid my state of mind at the end of the evening may need a phone for God knows what. I beg my friend to run and check with me if my phone is in the car. We have nine minutes to return and catch the shuttle, we can do this! Seven minutes later, we find the phone perched upright on the seat where it slipped from my pocket. We celebrate pointing with excitement, grab it, and quickly head back toward the shuttle. Then we receive a call that the shuttle has left. Ugh.
Luckily, there is a final shuttle supposed to depart in the next fifteen minutes. Phew!!! That was intense panic and sheer craziness. All for a phone that doesn’t do much more than connect me to the world. Skip over the amazingly beautiful day filled with love and find me sleeping the next morning in a room with five of my past teammates. We wake up to discuss how grateful we feel for the celebration and to check our phones. To my surprise, my phone has several photos, first is of my bag fallen over with my belongings strewed across the ground. This is ironic because my morning felt exactly like this photo. Then there are a multitude of group photos, sweaty dancing photos, a million and one videos of guests dancing all recorded by, not me. I am still smiling ear to ear because even though I could have done without my phone at the wedding, I cannot wait to sporadically send clips to the bride and groom so they can re-live their day, year after year.
True love inspires me. My closest friends and family bring me such joy that I find it nearly impossible to sustain a balanced life in today’s society. Lastly, I was scrolling through blogs online with catchy titles luring reader’s to gain inspiration from other writers, to publish simultaneously on multiple platforms, deepen engagement with video, etc. This hurt me to my core. There is nothing more inspiring, more engaging, and more meaningful than spending time with the people you love. So, if you have read this far, you can see how I process information, how living in the moment is much more gratifying than ever. Keep listening to your loved ones. Even if your Dad says, “Natalie, you don’t have to be everyone’s social worker.” Expend as much energy as possible sharing love and finding balance. Love is not simple, it’s messy, not always post worthy, it can only be served as a guide to life.
