The Gift of Presence
http://successandlife.com/articles/72752/1/The-Gift-of-Presence/Page1.html
Joey Ng
By Joey Ng
Published on 06/25/2009
I just re-read one of my favorite books, Audrey Niffenegger's The Time
Traveler's Wife. It's a novel about Henry, a librarian with a genetic
disorder that throws him back and forth in time, and his wife, Clare,
who is forced to cope with his frequent comings and goings. It's an
unusual, funny, beautifully written book. If you're interested, I would
recommend that you read it now, before the Major Motion Picture comes
out later this year.
The Gift of Presence
This personal development article about happiness is appealing for those interested about this topic
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I just re-read one of my favorite books, Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife. It's a novel about Henry, a librarian with a genetic disorder that throws him back and forth in time, and his wife, Clare, who is forced to cope with his frequent comings and goings. It's an unusual, funny, beautifully written book. If you're interested, I would recommend that you read it now, before the Major Motion Picture comes out later this year.
At one point, Henry says to Clare, "I worry that we aren't paying close attention here and now." Henry is talking about his tendency towards heightened awareness when he's elsewhere in time, but his point is equally valid for the rest of us.
Every time we mindlessly run through our days, or try to do eight things at once, or think how much better our lives will be when we finally [fill in the blank here], we're squandering the present moment - the only moment we've got, and will ever get, to do our living in.
Case in point: I was lucky enough to attend one of Niffenegger's readings of The Time Traveler's Wife when I was living in Chicago - it was a small gathering that took place before the book really took off, and before I'd read it. I was distracted by a million other things, including the husband waiting at home that evening, and I left the reading early to catch an earlier train. Now, years later, the husband and I are divorced, the book has become one of my cherished favorites, and I missed what was probably my only opportunity to meet Niffenegger in person and thank her for her wonderful work.
A little time travel would come in handy for all of us sometimes. Barring that, being fully engaged in the here and now is all we can do.
Jennifer Carsen is a life coach specializing in the areas of relationships, goal setting, and time management. Visit her site at http://www.bigjuicylifecoaching.com.
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I just re-read one of my favorite books, Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife. It's a novel about Henry, a librarian with a genetic disorder that throws him back and forth in time, and his wife, Clare, who is forced to cope with his frequent comings and goings. It's an unusual, funny, beautifully written book. If you're interested, I would recommend that you read it now, before the Major Motion Picture comes out later this year.
At one point, Henry says to Clare, "I worry that we aren't paying close attention here and now." Henry is talking about his tendency towards heightened awareness when he's elsewhere in time, but his point is equally valid for the rest of us.
Every time we mindlessly run through our days, or try to do eight things at once, or think how much better our lives will be when we finally [fill in the blank here], we're squandering the present moment - the only moment we've got, and will ever get, to do our living in.
Case in point: I was lucky enough to attend one of Niffenegger's readings of The Time Traveler's Wife when I was living in Chicago - it was a small gathering that took place before the book really took off, and before I'd read it. I was distracted by a million other things, including the husband waiting at home that evening, and I left the reading early to catch an earlier train. Now, years later, the husband and I are divorced, the book has become one of my cherished favorites, and I missed what was probably my only opportunity to meet Niffenegger in person and thank her for her wonderful work.
A little time travel would come in handy for all of us sometimes. Barring that, being fully engaged in the here and now is all we can do.
Jennifer Carsen is a life coach specializing in the areas of relationships, goal setting, and time management. Visit her site at http://www.bigjuicylifecoaching.com.