Be Here.

 My friend Sam loves a countdown. Many of us do. In graduate school she was the one we could always count on to let us know how many days until X or Y. Things we were looking forward to. Or big events on the horizon. Comprehensive Exams. Graduation. That sort of thing. I know many of us were counting down the end of 2020. Bring on 2021! End this dumpster fire of a year! Many are counting down the remaining days of 45. Bring on a new presidency!

We look ahead.

It almost feels as if we were designed that way. That there's some biological explanation for our need to constantly be thinking in the future. Living for the future. Goals we set for ourselves because we're thinking about what will happen once we've achieved these goals. Resolutions we name at the start of every year focusing less on the daily practice of said resolution and more on the end state, the outcome. Like I said, human nature.

And as I tuned in to worship this morning (hoping to make worship a continued practice (more of a rhythm shall we say) in 2021 over a resolution), each pastor shared their hopes for 2021. And one of the messages really spoke truth for me: Be Here.

Be Here.

In other words, presence. To focus on the present, the here and now. To be more mindful of where I am, with whom, and what I am doing. To dwell less on the season coming and stay present in the current season. I gathered at the park yesterday with two friends for a socially-distanced, picnic brunch. While spending time with them, I received a few texts from another friend that I didn't immediately see or respond to. And then I found myself apologizing that I hadn't been looking at my phone and missed the messages. Because it's become the norm. The expectation. The reality is you can't Be Here when you're Elsewhere. Physically, Mentally, Emotionally, even Spiritually. But the reality was I didn't miss the messages. I just hadn't gotten to them yet. And that's OK. 

I have no crystal ball, no magic wand, and if last year taught me anything, it's that you can have a million plans for the year ahead and none of them play out the way you expected. I can't control what's coming, but I can choose to stay present in the here and now. To cherish as many moments possible. Changing the name of the game from Focusing Forward to Pause and Presence.

Be Here.