Heroes Not Zombies

Strolling through Cognac yesterday along the banks of the Charente, we saw this cherry blossom. It’s the last blossom on the tree, and maybe the last cherry blossom I’ll see this year.

Zooming in showed a delicate thread created by a spider

“Hanging by a thread”, I thought.

Today becomes yesterday faster than we expect.

This moment becomes that moment in the blink of an eye.

This moment, this very moment, right now, won’t last and it won’t be coming back.

The ancient Greek philosophers proposed two exercises to improve the quality of life. We can sum them as “first and last”.

The first part of that is to remind yourself that every experience you have today is going to be unique. It might have many similarities to experiences you’ve had in the past, but, in reality, the experiences you have today will be yours for the very first time. You will never before have had the conversations you are going to have today. You will meet people you’ve never met before….even the ones who are familiar to you will have changed a bit since the last time you met. Every plant you see, sound you hear, scent you smell is for the first time. Yes, there may be many previous events or occurrences which seem very similar, but actually your experience today, this very moment, has never come around before. It’s a first.

The second part is the part which came to mind when I saw this cherry blossom. Because change is the only constant, every single moment you experience today will only happen once. This is your one and only chance to fully experiences the moments of today.

If you knew that this is the very last time you will experience today, wouldn’t you make sure you make the most of it? Wouldn’t you “seize the day”?

Well, it is the last time.

We talk a lot about living in the present, but the present is so fleeting. It’s so quickly replaced by another present. I like that. It means that every present moment is brand new. Every present moment is mine to experience for the very first time. And it’s mine to experience for the very last too. So, I won’t let it pass me by without noticing, without savouring, relishing, enjoying, immersing myself in, delighting in, being curious about, exploring, engaging with…….[add your own verbs here]…….loving this first and last moment.