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“… I see NOW is my moment. Taking the time to listen for the answers to my questions. I guess NOW is always our moment even if it is only etching out one little piece of the bigger picture.”
Mindy Smith
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People are always reflecting. I guess we do it because we are, well, human. We do it not because we second guess or just want to beat the crap out of ourselves, but more likely with the intent to improve ourselves in some form or fashion. We reflect to move forward better.
I came across this quote from musician Mindy Smith.
While musicians are always reflecting upon their creativity with an eye to “what comes next” I imagine all of us do this thought, and thinking, in our own way. It is not just a creative process thing. It is a Life thing. But this thought really stood out for me because it is about now, and listening, and questioning and recognition that now is ALWAYS our moment, uhm, if we elect it to be.
This doesn’t mean every moment is a ‘NOW’ moment, but rather you can make any moment a ‘NOW’ moment of you choose to <I hope that makes sense>.
That is a really really big thought.
I know many people struggle with the concept of maximizing each moment. I know I do. You kind of want to, but kind of also believe it is not very practical. And then you also wonder if you are choosing the ‘right’ moments to maximize. It can be a tiring process, especially in reflection.
Mindy <I think> is suggesting you just find ‘now’ moments. And in that moment, for that brief time, it is an important moment because YOU stopped, and took the time to listen for answers to your questions. The moment was important because you made it so not because it claimed to be important.
That is an inspiring thought. It is a free-ing thought. And a hopeful thought.
But. Here is where she really inspires.
I believe a lot of people diminish a reflective moment as unimportant because they are, well, simply reflective moments <and not active or ‘action-oriented>. You didn’t really ‘do’ something tangible.
She suggests each moment etches, one little piece at a time, the bigger picture.
That is a nice thought especially if you couple it with the moment was important because you made it so.
In other words, it is your choice, and choices, which craft your future. All you have to do is stop some of the “NOWS” you interact with and make some of them important enough to do something.
Anyway.
This quote comes from a wonderfully articulated, very personal, thought on her song “Closer”:
“Many times in life’s journey, we find ourselves disoriented. For me, I make destructive decisions that can distract me from my ultimate goal. I think I am making the right choices and staying close to my agenda but I just run off course. In ‘Closer,’ I see the North Star as the prize. One that I am always getting so close to but unable to grab a hold of and then it eludes me. Personally, this song paints a picture of how I see my musical career and that I see NOW is my moment. Taking the time to listen for the answers to my questions. I guess NOW is always our moment even if it is only etching out one little piece of the bigger picture.”
I think it is a thought all of us could relate to.
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This post previously published in Enlightened Conflict and is republished with the permission of the author.
Photo courtesy iStock Photo.