The Winds of Change

I attended an online church service today, and heard these words, spoken and sung by the inspirational musician, Lea Morris: “The wind of change flows from the past, into the future, touching us in the present.” Lea spoke the wise words of Ekhart Tolle and really dove into the truism that we only have the present moment. She spoke of change using the metaphor of the wind – blowing in from the past, enveloping us in the present so we may have the opportunity to learn, to change and grow so as the wind flows into the future we have the chance to make our lives better.

Needless to say, I was deeply moved and impressed. I was hearing exactly what I needed to hear. I love it when I experience moments like this. I was open to hearing the words, I wasn’t in resistance or denial and was willing to accept that I’ve been too concerned about the future. I’ve been too worried about things turning out exactly as I’ve envisioned it and wanting everything to happen, right now!

You can believe me when I say that I’ve heard all of this before. I’ve heard this in 12-step meetings, in therapy, and in graduate school studying psychology. And, I believe these words. Yet, here I was realizing that I’d fallen back into old, worrisome thinking and seeing that I didn’t have enough faith that the outcome will be what it will be and may even be better than I imagined. And now, I’m doing best Doris Day impersonation, singing Qué Sera, Sera!

I’ve been hard at work for many years now, learning the lessons that I can’t change what’s happened and I can’t predict the future. I can only change my attitudes and my behavior in the present. I can only create new and healthy habits and mind-sets now, in an effort to make living amends for old hurts and to increase the chances that my future will be brighter and filled with purpose.

I know for a fact that I feel filled with purpose now but I was forgetting to, as Lea Morris said in her homily, “…experience joy in the doing.” Thank you, Lea!

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People don’t realize that now is all there ever is; there is no past or future except as memory or anticipation in your mind.

~ Echart Tolle