Be Present. Pay Attention. Do Good.

My last night in Winona was spent having a fantastic time with this guy. :)  

I have my passport on the nightstand next to me and an inbox full up emails from SOL with my flight information and a calendar full of events for the coming months, honestly I’m terrified. I’m officially moved out of Winona (thanks to Patrick and Bailey for all their help with cleaning and packing and hugs, I love you guys), and am now at home for the first of 23ish more nights. Transitions have always been a little hard on me so I’m trying not to get too comfortable knowing that this isn’t even close to permanent. I find out my next home and host-family in the next few weeks. Every day it becomes more and more real that this is something I have committed to and there is no backing out now.

I know this is something I won’t regret, but I often do this to myself-I psych myself out and doubt my decision. It always comes down to remembering that I made this decision with a clear mind and sound heart, and to not let this last minute nervousness and questioning cloud that. Of course its scary, but all great things I’ve ever come to love have all began as new, scary, and foreign. Life takes risk. I know to make the most out of this opportunity I have to do something I’m terrible at, “just let it happen”. I can’t plan what I don’t know, and I can’t shelter myself and back away when I don’t know what to expect.

I have found a few solutions to helping with this-

The ability to be mindful is something that has always intrigued me; I’m beginning to read about the practice through the words of Thich Nhat Hanh. I highly suggest it to anyone who has any sort of anxiety, or anyone who wants to better themselves on the practice of being present.

Hanh says, “Our true home is not in the past. Our true home is not in the future. Our true home is in the here and the now. Life is available only in the here and the now, and it is our true home.”

You can read more on it here: Thich Nhat Hanh on The Practice of Mindfulness

Another thing that grounds me is the remembering the short story of “The Three Questions” by Leo Tolstoy. 

Spoiler alert if you were planning on reading, but these are the answers:

When is the most important time?

The most important time is now. The present is the only time over which we have power.

Who is the most necessary person?

The most important person is whoever you are with.

What is the most important thing to do?

The most important thing is to do good to the person you are with.

Be Present. Pay attention. Do good.