The Present

During the season of Lent, I am seeking times of stillness, focus, and prayer that is more about listening than speaking. I’m trying to sit still, to remember how to focus on one thing at a time. People are getting better and better at multitasking, but I fear that we are getting worse at giving our full attention to one thing, to one person. Years ago I read a story called “The Precious Present.” It was about a young boy who loved to spend time with the old man who was his neighbor. The old man always seemed happy and content, no matter his circumstances. The man explained to the boy that his happiness was the result of the precious present, and the boy spent hours trying to guess what kind of present could be so great as to impart such sustained joy. At the end of the story, the boy discovers that the precious present is not a gift, wrapped in a box, but the present time. The old man is content because he has learned to give his full attention to the precious present moment, and so he is not worried about the future or caught up in the past.

Technology has made us good at multitasking, but it has also distracted us. It used to be that there was one time of day to receive mail, sort it, and respond to it as necessary. Now we receive email (or texts, or twitter – whatever that is) at all hours, sometimes even when we are out at the grocery store, or at dinner with friends. It used to be that we learned about the news of the world, sports scores, and local happenings by reading the newspaper with a glass of orange juice or coffee, or by watching the evening news at 6:00 PM. Now we are hit with 24 hour news networks, headlines on our computers, and sports scores on our cell phones.

We need to relearn how to be still. We need to remember the ancient teachers. Here is what they say: First, sit down and sit still. Sit as comfortably and as stably as you can: feet flat on the floor, arms lightly laid on arm rest or lap, eyes gently closed. When the body learns stillness, the mind can be still. Quiet your mind by focusing on your breath. The Biblical words for breath also mean spirit, so this focus on the breath is a way to remember the gift of the Holy Spirit. Breathe in, breathe out, and listen. This stillness is prayer, even if you don’t say a word. If you want to use words, there is a tradition from the Russian church to say a simple prayer while you breathe. As you breathe in, say “Jesus Christ, Son of God,” and as you breathe out, say “have mercy on me.” Be still. Receive the precious present.