chasing the moon

April  24, 2016

I chased the moon tonight: across the country, coast to coast. From the Redwoods over the vast farm-lands – those amber waves of grain - to Jefferson country with the battle fields of the British and between our own countrymen. My feet ache from wedding dances while my heart cherishes the hugs of family. A picture is worth a thousand words and it is priceless to be present in them.

I am learning to live in this present moment: to stop my incessant planning and agenda making. I am learning to say yes to an invitation even when I cannot see how the pieces will come together. I am learning, so painfully slowly, in order to have the experience on which to cultivate wisdom, I must first participate in today. 

I’ve had many a conversation with my mentor on what she’s coined the “no agenda” life. It is quite the opposite of this current goal driven culture with its demands on projections, anticipating forward progress, predicting growth, and marking time in 5 or 10 year increments. She advocates in such goal setting this present moment is robbed of its abundance. I hurdle over today in the mad dash for tomorrow and loose the overall race when I come to the finish line a shadow of myself and empty handed – having missed the opportunity to grow in the fullness of each 24 hour cycle.

I am not advocating for throwing out all planning; certainly there is a place for such a discipline. Perhaps, though, as I mark another birthday and look forward to the year ahead of me, I finally lean fully into TODAY and all it has to offer. Perhaps I practice being still in this present moment, rooting deep to grow and flourish such that when tomorrow comes I bring a fullness to bear that was not present before. Perhaps in having no agenda I will find myself once again chasing the moon; thankful I accepted the invitation to be present.