Staying in the Now

Staying in the now. An absolute presence conscience with all senses & faculties attuned to the moment. Sounds easy, but during the course of a day I believe your lucky if you in the now 2% of the time. Many people rarely experience the absolute now unless an event ropes them in.
I think man has more problems today staying in the moment than our ancestors just 100 years ago. We have more distractions than at any time in history. We have TV's, Stereos, Computers, shopping malls, video games, and the list goes on.
I know we all remember those times when the absolute now was almost surreal. That 1st kiss, the 1st time you swam in deep water, the 1st time you drove a car, when a heart throb 1st reached to take your hand, the birth of your 1st child. There are also the bad moments, times of embarrassment, loss of a loved one, your 1st speeding ticket, falling, & if it's ever happened getting lost. There many more good & bad events that zoom us into the absolute now.
Why wait for an event to transport us into the now? Take at least 15 minutes a day to sit quietly & just feel the moment. Take a moment to shed all your worries, and enjoy. This may be hard at 1st & 15 minutes seem like an eternity, but with continued daily practice it will become easier. Sit or stand, listen, feel the wind or sun on your skin, breath easy, look at something beautiful & know it's your eyes that see this.
I might add turn off all those distractions, & that means the cell phone as well. No wonder the world is so stressed out, they can't even take a relaxing drive anymore. They are listening to the radio while talking on their cell phone while driving, and with gas prices those Sunday drives are becoming too expensive. I remember when people used to go out just to get away from the phone, but with the cell phones of today they are never far from the phone.
The reality is you can escape & relax for at least 15 minutes. I know everyone wants to be connected, but take the time each day & get disconnected. Turn off, shut down, let go, & just be. Today is as good a day as any to get started. Try it for 30 days & if you decide it's a waste of time, you can always revert.