“Man sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies have never really lived.”- Dalai Lama

Remember the old saying; “Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday?” Living in any moment but the current one is literally impossible, so it may be that whenever we are captured by past regrets or future worries we are not living at all, but merely holding space in the present. When we are absorbed in any moment but this one, people around us notice a vacancy; some of us live hours, days, lifetimes in that state.

When we are fully absorbed in the present moment however, we seem vibrant, younger, more alive. We are in the flow, in it and part of it. I led services with a local Jewish community one Shabbat morning. I very much wanted to make a good impression, to inspire and engage them, and I also wanted to try some new things musically, and to stretch into some more challenging approaches, like chanting the Torah portion in both Hebrew and English.

On some days leading up to the service, I was nervous, doubting myself, wondering why I has even taken the gig. I was living in the future, worried and miserable! But when the day came, I decided I was prepared enough to do what ever was needed in the moment, and I simply relaxed, and prayed, sang and chanted from my heart each moment. Technically, I made a few “mistakes” with some of the new material. But the congregation loved it all, and hearing the Torah in the vernacular. I felt calm and happy, and afterward everyone congratulated me warmly and told me I exceeded expectations! Gee, why did I worry so?

We all perform better when we are present in the present moment. Feel the fear of the future, move through the sadness of the past, but perform in the present. It’s all we’ve got.

What can you just be present to today?

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The 14th Dalai Lama (religious name: Tenzin Gyatso, born Lhamo Thondup, 6 July 1935) is the current Dalai Lama. Dalai Lamas are important monks of the Gelug school, the newest school of Tibetan Buddhism which is nominally headed by the Ganden Tripas. The 14th Dalai Lama received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, and is known for his advocacy for Tibetans worldwide and his lifelong interest in modern science.

Joe Laur is a father, husband, artist, builder, naturalist, consultant, and EcoKosher mashgiach. He lives with his wife Sara in western Massachusetts, where he serves as head groundskeeper and resident singer songwriter. Send him your favorite teaching quote for commentary. He can be reached at joe.laur@joelaur.com.