This weekend I enjoyed an evening with my family at the small amusement park located at the Columbus Zoo called Jungle Jack’s Landing. The park is geared towards young kids, and it’s never been busy any of the times I’ve been there.
We love going to Jungle Jack’s Landing because it’s close and we’re Columbus Zoo members, so admission to the park is free. This means as long as we bring our own food, the only thing we need to buy are a couple of $8 wrist bands for my oldest son, Robbie, and me to ride the rides. We try to make it there at least once each summer.
This year was the first year Robbie was tall enough to ride all of the rides, so he was thrilled to have finally “made it” to the height required to experience every ride available. And I was elated to finally have someone to ride the roller coaster with me!
Robbie was a little nervous to try the roller coaster. It took a little persuading, but I finally convinced him to try it…just to see if he liked it. Much to my delight, he loved it. In fact, we rode it numerous times and I ended up having the best time I’ve had in a long while.
Living in the Moment
Today, as I reflected on the joy I experienced riding that coaster, it occurred to me why the ride made me feel so free. When I was riding that little coaster, I was living completely — and utterly — in the moment.
I wasn’t thinking about what I did earlier in the day or what I was going to do later. Nor was I thinking about the laundry still in the dryer, or the yard work waiting for me at home. I was simply experiencing each hill and turn in the ride as it happened. It was absolute bliss.
Many of you may already practice living in the moment fairly often. For me, it’s more of an ongoing goal that I occasionally get a glimpse of. Each time I get a taste, I want it all the more.
So, I know you’ve probably heard the recommendation to live each day as though it is your last. I love that idea, but in reality it’s hard to follow through with day after day. At least for me it is.
A Challenge
My challenge for you is to try something this week that forces your mind to quiet down a bit, and forces you to be completely in the moment. A roller coaster certainly did the trick for me, but any strenuous physical activity will do the same thing.
Alternatively, practicing meditation is a great way to pull ourselves into the current moment — once we learn to let go of our rushing thoughts.
Do whatever you need to, but get into the present moment and revel in it for awhile. Just having a glimpse of the freedom and joy that comes from letting go of the past and the future this weekend was a powerful motivator for me to find ways to incorporate that state of being into more of my time here.
I want you to experience this too.
What ideas or suggestions do you have for getting (and staying) in the present moment in your life?
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Thanks for the great reminder, Jenny. Since I homeschool my kids and I am technically with them all the time, I often forget to stop and enjoy the little moments with them. Being on vacation this week has been so nice. It’s forced me to focus…and I think that’s a good thing.
Great post and I’m glad you have a coaster buddy now.
I’m so glad you’re enjoying your vacation! I always feel like I enjoy the kids so much more on vacation too. There is less of me saying, “Hold on, I need to do X and X before I can listen to you.”
It’s my goal to get to more of a “vacation state of being” in my everyday life.
Enjoy your week away!
You’ve reminded me that the Fort Worth Zoo — which is almost as famous around the country as the Columbus Zoo and is usually rated higher by travel writers — no longer has a carnival. We also don’t have a Jack Hanna.
Actually, I don’t like roller coasters, so they wouldn’t result in my “power of now” moment. For me, walking in a garden would have to be involved. Live music also has a great way of wrapping you up and taking you with it.
Gip
Hi Gip! Ah, yes — the Fort Worth Zoo! I’ve never been, but I’ve heard it’s wonderful. Sorry the carnival is gone.
Those are great suggestions for being in the moment too. Live music has the same effect on me — thanks for the reminder!
I love live music as well. It helps you to forget about everything else around you, and the genre doesn’t even matter so much as the passion and talent of the artists. Glad you guys brought this up as I had not thought about this!
Thanks!
Bernice
It really does Bernice. It always seems to catch me off guard how swept away I get when listening to live music. It’s such a relaxing and wonderful experience.
Last summer I broke out a series of books I had purchased and read when I was in high school. Since it had been so long, I decided to read them again. I would come home from work, lay on an outdoor couch we have on our deck and read. While I was there, nothing mattered but the excitement of the book. I only got half way through the series, and now that it’s summertime again your post reminded me of that time by myself where nothing mattered but what was going to happen in the next chapter. I think it’s time to get out the next book….
You know Travis, I was just telling Kirk last night that the last time I indulged in a fiction book series was almost a year ago! Lately I’ve been reading anything personal finance lately, but I haven’t lost myself in a great novel in far too long.
Thanks for the great idea and enjoy your YOU time on the patio with your books.
I like Gip’s idea of live music. I would LOVE to be experiencing living in the moment on a roller coaster, but a car accident last year has halted my roller coastering for a while longer. I love coasters! I’ll have to think of a living in the moment challenge for myself this week.
I know Tanja! It’s been so long since I’ve listened to live music that I forgot what an experience it is.
That’s terrible that you had a car accident! Hopefully you’ll be able to enjoy a coaster again someday soon!
Jenny,
I will pass on the coasters, and let you and your son enjoy! That is something I don’t love to do! One other thing that came to mind for me is kayaking. I am sure whitewater kayaking would be intense and you can’t think about anything else, but still water kayaking has its own awesome stillness to it. Yes, you could let your mind wander, but most of the time it is awesome to just soak up the scenery and think about each stroke.
I really need to pull my kayak out!
Congrats on being picked up by Blogher!
Bernice
Kayaking sounds so fun Bernice! We’re talking about renting a kayak for my seven-year old (not sure if he’s quite old enough?) and I when we go to Hilton Head this August. I would love to try it. And although I haven’t been in awhile, I used to love canoeing as well.
About the BlogHer pickup, thanks! It was a great surprise!
This post reminds me of the Spanish proverb, “How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then rest afterward.”
Hey Robert! Now that sounds nice. Nothing, followed by nothing. Yes!