The Power of Now: Why It's Important to Cherish What Truly Matters Before It's Too Late

Can I ask you a question..it's kinda personal. How often are you putting off the things you really want to do until “things are less busy”?

As cliche as it is - things really can change in an instant.   Plans can shift, unexpected news can hit, you can lose someone you love and life as you know it can suddenly be different. Anyone who has suffered an unexpected loss knows this all too well already.   

They also know that the only moment that’s worth focusing on is the present one. And if you're constantly living in the past or worrying about the future, you miss the magic of the now. 

It’s easy to get caught up in what's next, but the present is the only moment we truly have and too often we fail to make the most of it because we think we think we’ll have so many more “tomorrows” to spend time with our loved ones, play with the kids, spend time with the dogs that adore us and wait all day for us to get home…and all those other things we keep putting off because work/life/obligations get in the way “today”.  But those tomorrows are never guaranteed.  

Stop. Be still. Do those things now.

Life moves fast and it’s often fragile. Don’t take it for granted.  Do take it for what it is - a gift and a chance to love what’s in front of you right at this moment.

If you're a dog lover I know you'll understand the depth of what I'm about to tell you. I lost my dog Taz last weekend. A mere month after he was diagnosed with an aggressive and incurable cancer he took his last breath in my arms.  I could feel his soul leaving his body as he looked into my eyes one last time and took his last breath. 

Witnessing that has left me forever changed. And the only thought that kept echoing in my mind as he left me was "I haven't loved him enough yet...I need more time to let him know how loved he is".

But there was no more time. And the 7 years I had already had with him seemingly passed in the blink of an eye.

Having lost my sister when I was younger I’m not a stranger to someone passing in my presence.  But holding them as they transition and feeling their soul actually leave the body had an impact I couldn’t have anticipated.  I am more aware of every moment, more grateful for every blessing and more dedicated to living my own life in a way that feels aligned to the calling within my soul, and helping others do the same.   

There is so much more out there for all of us if we are open to receiving it.  The things we think truly matter - truly don’t.  What matters is the love, connection and joy that’s present in our life.  And no amount of money, prestige, awards or achievement can ever fill the void that inevitably grows in our heart when our barometer for success is based on things instead of the relationships, connections and moments that bring true meaning and fulfillment to our lives.

There is a lot I wish I had done differently while Taz was still alive..like stopping more often to hug him and pet him during the day, especially when he would try desperately to get my attention as I worked away at deadlines or spent hours on countless Teams and Zoom meetings. And while I can’t change that, I can change how I approach my days going forward.  And while I’ve always practiced mindfulness and staying “present”, I will now choose to slow down more each day and appreciate the little moments—whether it’s pausing to give my dog Hope a reassuring hug that things will be ok without Taz, or connecting with loved ones more often, taking a break to breathe, or simply being fully present in the now. 

Because those small moments, as I’ve learned, are the ones that truly matter in the end.