“Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness.” – James Thurber
I have a vivid imagination. Unfortunately it lists toward the negative. If my mind drifts too far into the future, it projects tons of excruciating work followed by showers of rejection letters not to mention the death of all my family members, friends, and the dog. Some people can project a future filled with success. My mind won’t play that game.
The past is no better. There I relive regret for work I’ve failed to complete, anger at imagined slights, and pain over the actual deaths of family members, friends, and our former dogs. Days gone by offer no solace.
Meditation helps me stay in the moment. Each breath brings relief from the relentless barrage of thoughts pushing to and fro. And after sitting there is nothing to do, but open the notebook and get to work. Work is the best remedy.
Only the present is safe. In the actual work I find peace. I relax into writing, taking tiny steps one after another. There my mind hums.