My good friend, Patrick Larkin, purchased the book for me, “10% Happier“.  I have been enjoying it, and this quote gave me pause for personal and professional reasons:

“Make the present moment your friend rather than your enemy. Because many people live habitually as if the present moment were an obstacle that they need to overcome in order to get to the next moment. And imagine living your whole life like that, where always this moment is never quite right, not good enough because you need to get to the next one. That is continuous stress.”
― Dan Harris, 10% Happier

I have a tough time appreciating the present moment because my mind seems to be always thinking and worrying about the future.  The quote doesn’t suggest you forget about the future but understand the present is not “your enemy.”

Professionally, with all of the talk about being “future ready,” we have to realize that the moment our students have in school today is something truly meaningful to them.  I think of how often I look back fondly on experiences I had in school, and the learners in front of you need to know how important the present moment is in their lives and how we, as educators, value this time tremendously.  The grade 12 student doesn’t care about your 2030 plan as much as they value today.  We, myself included, need to keep that on our minds.

Don’t ignore the future but remember to value the present. It is your friend.