How to Just Be

When we are born we become.

But what happens after that? Childhood is the precious time of miracles and living in the moment. As children, we are in awe of everything about us - we are curious, and time is a fairly irrelevant concept.

Then, something happens. We begin to be seriously molded by society at about 3-4 years of age. Developmentally we are malleable and begin to conform to norms, rules, musts, and don’ts. I am one who doesn’t think that this is necessarily bad. I think children need guidelines and parameters, however I believe children don’t need hang-ups, religious taboos, and societal discrimination.

In our teen years we want to belong. Oh, how we want to belong.

As we reach adulthood, we are driven by our hopes, dreams and aspirations. These are all the things that we need to make us who we are, or who we think we should be. We are consumed with plans. That is, until the pendulum swings back.

Maybe it is experience that takes us back to what we were originally. Once we are wiser, we cherish the ability to simply live in the moment. We are present and savor the now. At this point, we realize that everything passes and that we are impermanent.

This is a glorious revelation, being just to be.