Why Is It Important to be Present?
Here’s a story from Buddhist Monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, about ‘washing the dishes to wash the dishes’ and the difference between being mindful and mindless:
“In the United States, I have a close friend named Jim Forest… Last winter, Jim came to visit. I usually wash the dishes after we’ve finished the evening meal, before sitting down and drinking tea with everyone else.
One night, Jim asked if he might do the dishes. I said, "Go ahead, but if you wash the dishes you must know the way to wash them.” Jim replied, “Come on, you think I don’t know how to wash the dishes?” I answered, “There are two ways to wash the dishes. The first is to wash the dishes in order to have clean dishes and the second is to wash the dishes in order to wash the dishes.”
Jim was delighted and said, “I choose the second way-to wash the dishes to wash the dishes.” From then on, Jim knew how to wash the dishes. I transferred the “responsibility” to him for an entire week.
If while washing dishes, we think only of the cup of tea that awaits us, thus hurrying to get the dishes out of the way as if they were a nuisance, then we are not “washing the dishes to wash the dishes.”
What’s more, we are not alive during the time we are washing the dishes.In fact we are completely incapable of realizing the miracle of life while standing at the sink.
If we can’t wash the dishes, the chances are we won’t be able to drink our tea either. While drinking the cup of tea, we will only be thinking of other things, barely aware of the cup in our hands. Thus we are sucked away into the future - and we are incapable of actually living one minute of life.“
~ Thich Nhat Hanh
What are you focusing now? Are you reading to read? Or are you reading for something else? Your focus and mindfulness are always a conscious choice that you make in everything you do. When you are present in the moment, it shows in your output - it shows in your life.
When you are aware of what you’re doing in the moment, it means that you’re paying attention to the details. The attention to details will reflect in the quality of your work and results. That’s why mindfulness - BEING PRESENT - is surprisingly one of the best qualities of happy and successful people.
Experience every minute. Take delight in every moment of your life. Appreciate even the rhythm of your breaths. Witness the miracle of life around you.
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