Entirely Present
Bored out of my mind, I sit in class trying to pay attention to the online guest speaker via Skype. Waiting for the conversation to close so I can go to lunch, I scroll aimlessly through my notes. In that moment, I asked myself, “What am I gaining by waiting impatiently?” Inversely, I asked myself, “What could I gain if I waited patiently?”.
In that moment, I shut my laptop and fix my eyes on the monotone professor. After five minutes I noticed that I was engaged into the conversation, even giving input after provoked by a thought shared! Being present takes effort, especially when we would like nothing else than to be passive in the moment.
The two questions I asked inspired active participation in the on-going conversation. Not only was I learning something, but I also didn’t mind waiting for lunch. If that’s not a win/win, I don’t know what is?!
