Possibilities make "presence" difficult

From Rita's final chapter of Tales of a Female Nomad :

"I'm not thinking about the future. While I'm here, wherever that may be (at the moment, its the library in New York), I want to be 100 percent here. One of the most important things I have learned during the past 15 years is how to enjoy and savor the present. When I am writing, I am inside the sound a meaning of the words, playing with them, curving them around each other. When I am eating, I luxuriate in the taste and texture of every bite. When I am alone, I listen to and communicate with the silence within me and the noises and messages of the world around me. And when I am with people, I am really with them."

I believe I have a long way to go to really grasp this concept of living in the present, but it is reassuring that a new friend has a strong-hold on its essence. And I have to admit, when I met Rita the other night - I was very in the present.

The woman I followed around the world in Tales of a Female Nomad is just as passionate and generous in person as she is her book. We met to discuss how I could help with Let's Get Global at her home in D.C. We cooked dinner together - savoring the freshness of the vegetables and herbs contained in Vietnamese Soft Spring Rolls, marveling in the smell and taste of "Chicken cooked in a Thai way" and indulging in Ben and Jerry's coffee heath bar crunch to finish. (Michael, I believe I have met someone who loves food just as much as we do!)

Today I began to research foundations (during my lunch hour) that could be interested in providing us with funding for our movement to encourage kids to take a year off between high school and college to travel abroad. I can't get enough of this research! The possibilities seem endless, along with the possible funds!

I believe truly being present in the present comes a long with doing something you love. And of course being with those you love. What often distracts me from being truly "here" is when I feel far from my dream lifestyle or far from the ones I love. I'll keep Rita's insights in my mind this summer as I work to be more in the present, ignoring "possibilities" and instead focusing on this project (when I'm not in my cubicle wishing I could be working on it).

Simone, I don't know if this offered you any insight on wishing you were somewhere else. We all miss you but I will certainly see you again in August:-) And we can start working on great projects again together with ROTARACT!