Hello old friends, new followers, and fellow bloggers- 

I live in the future.  I mean not exactly, but I tend to live with the future always in mind.  I am always thinking about tomorrow that sometimes I forget about the beauty of today.  I forget to sit, breath in deeply, and appreciate all that my current day has to offer.  Maybe you’re like me and you have a hard time being present.  It’s easier to be present when I’m having a good time, when the sunshine is out and there is no sight of rain.

However, what do you do when your present life is full of rain?  Full of pain and misunderstandings?  Full of mourning and lots of tears?  Do you then escape into the past or do you find hope in looking forward to the future? 

I have no idea, but I don’t believe that God ever intended for us to escape today in the idea of tomorrow, but rather to change our thinking about each allotted minute.

It’s easier to escape.  It’s easier to zone out.  It’s easier to find comfort in not facing what is in front of us.

Trust me, I spent a majority of my life doing that… I hated my present so I strategized and planned for tomorrow.  Yet, as I look back over the days I missed- I realized that I missed out on some beautiful moments.  My perspective robbed me of the beauty that comes with contentment, the brillance of being present.

I decided to take the last couple of days away from social media.  In a world that thrives off of consistent updates, double taps and making oneself known; I decided to step away and be present with those around me.  I wanted to see, hear, feel and know those in my presence. I wanted to see the world through their eyes, to embrace the beauty that glistened with each smile.  I wanted to see like those I loved.  I was awakened to something powerful.

Almost as if for the first time, I saw the grace and mercy that waits on me each day,  consistently unacknowledged yet forever consistent.  Each morning, grace accompained with mercy would drop by to tackle the day.

Like a great pair of friends, my inconsistency never changed its nature- at the end of the day, both would show up for me the next day.  I was more aware, I was more present, and therefore I was filled with so much more gratitude.

I know life in 2020 is not how we envisioned for it to be.  We thought we would be traveling to our favorite countries, or exploring new ideas.  Many of us planned great parties, and exquisite weddings.  I know some of us even pictured our graduations to be nothing as we are currently facing.  Yet, let us not strive to escape into the future or into the nostaligic memories of the past. Let’s become present, let’s greet grace and mercy, and let’s see the beauty of today. 

Xoxo. 

Simone