In the Moment…

Martin stood in the line waiting for his turn to get his morning medications before heading off to work. he had come a long way to be at this point of beginning to gain clarity in his thoughts and a renewed sense of purpose in his life. But this morning he was a bit anxious. His new boss was a stickler for punctuality. He had been late once this week. Martin shuffled his feet and asked the staff person how long it would be.

Janice had a difficult morning. Her alarm didn’t go off, making her fifteen minutes late getting up. She rushed through her morning routine and was standing in the kitchen taking her first sip of coffee. her phone rang at that precise moment causing her to spill her coffee on her blouse. Swearing under her breath Janice rushes to her bedroom, changes and heads out the door. Sitting inside her car Janice feels the frustration building and takes a deep breath. She turns the key, NOTHING!

At this point the straw had fractured the camel’s back, Janice yells and bangs the steering wheel. She turns the key once more, again nothing. After a call to triple A, and an hour wait for a service man to start her car (dead battery because she didn’t close her door the night before) she was on her way to work.

Janice walked into the building frustrated. She just wanted to go to her office make a cup of coffee and sit for a moment. Janice heard her name called. A man was standing in line for his medication appearing nervous. He asked her how long it would be before he could get his meds and leave. Before he could utter another word as to why he was asking, Janice barked at him; “as long as it takes, you come here every day, you should know how long it takes!”

Martin took a step back and in his own frustration began yelling at Janice, trying to explain his urgency. But Janice wasn’t listening. They were yelling at each other, but not communicating. Marshall, who was sitting and talking with one of the other clients witnessed all this. He excuses himself and walks up the his co-worker. “Janice, what is the problem?” Janice looks at Marshall and says that Martin didn’t want to wait and was making a commotion in the line. Marshall could see Janice’s frustration and anger.

Marshall pulled Janice aside and asked her if she knew why Martin was in such a rush. “No, I didn’t ask, but that’s not the point. He should know how long it takes.” Martin could see Janice’s day had not started well. Marshall put his finger up to his lips. Janice stopped and looked at Marshall. A few seconds passed before Marshall asked her to take a deep breath. She looked at him for a second then did so, then repeated it twice more.

Janice looked over at Martin, still appearing anxious and still shuffling his feet. She went over to him and Marshall watched she talk to Martin. She apologized for her shortness and helped Martin with getting out on time. The last interaction Marshall witnessed of Janice and Martin was then smiling and talking as Martin left.

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This story is about being mindful and how we often come into situations with a full and often disturbing agenda already swimming freely in out heads and hearts. When we are unable to be in the present moment, if we are ruminating on problems of our past (even problems only hours ago), and/or problems we are projecting into or future, then we cannot be fully present in the moment.

Janice brought her morning problems right into work with her. The coffee, the battery and any other ruminations she was mentally engaged with came into the building with her like a heavy suitcase. Her ability to be present and mindful of her self and her environment was not there. Her engagement with Martin was the culmination of all her frustrations and anger of just a few hours ago (and probably other frustrations she had been carrying). That interaction with Martin was not entirely about him, and probably not about him at all. Janice did not realize she was not in the moment. All she needed to do was what Marshall helped her to do. She needed to re-center. She needed to breathe. Remain still, even for a few seconds to bring her focus to the present moment.

Remember to breathe, refocus and bring yourself to the present moment. It is a unique and precious space.