Present.  The present is what’s happening right now.  And that’s really all there is.  The Dalai Lama said,  “There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called Yesterday and the other is called Tomorrow.” The only time we can live, act, do, or make a difference is right now.

Moment.  Think of each moment in life as an individual stone on an elegant necklace, each one tied to the next, each one with its own uniqueness, its own beauty. Moments are, in fact, separate entities unto themselves that we can acknowledge and appreciate one by one. Slowing down to experience each stone in the necklace can enrich and deepen our lives.

Awareness.
Having an awareness means being awake, acting consciously, noticing what’s there, seeing what’s happening, and internalizing our own reality. It’s recognizing the truth of the moment and dealing with what is, not what used to be or what might be later.

Present Moment Awareness is not always easy and, like most worthwhile things, takes practice. So many of us stagger through life from one reactionary crisis to the next.  That’s no way to live.  I know because I do it all too often.  Refocusing our energy and attention to what’s happening in the moment and being present there, however, is a step we can take toward more peace and tranquility, more beauty and more fulfillment. 

You can practice Present Moment Awareness when you walk your dog in the evening and notice the stars or clouds or as you watch your students take their spelling test and hear their pencils scratching across their papers.  

The key is to stop and say this is what’s happening now, I’m noticing it, and this moment is okay as it is. TZT