The Joy of being in the moment
Imagine giving and receiving with all the people as one. Imagine all the people being thankful for everything that is around them.
Imagine all the people taking a moment. Imagine listening to all the children and hearing the mastery of their perceptions. Imagine real loving relationships with all the people of our world. Imagine giving and receiving with all the people as one. Imagine all the people connecting to Mother Earth. Imagine all the people being thankful for everything that is around them. Imagine our world no longer being separate from the rest of the Universe. Imagine the joy of all the people being in the moment.
My Moments with Jack
After walking a couple hundred yards surveying the grounds for a new event site I was led to a small isolated building. Hoping to get more information about renting the facility the groundskeeper took me into the tiny office where a large man sat behind the only desk. I was then introduced to Jack, assuming I was before the appropriate party, I began my questions about renting the property. Jack smiled and said that he wasn’t the person in charge and suggested that I wait for the Property Manager.
The makeshift office was dilapidated and mostly empty except for Jack and I. In excitement about the beautiful park-like setting and its availability I began again asking more questions. Jack curtailed my questions ensuring that he wasn’t positioned to share any information, as this was his second day on the job. Stopped in my tracks about the ability to find out more information about the estate I sat solemnly in front of Jack’s desk in one of only two seats in the entire office.
In Jack’s thrill to have company in his lonely job he began to make conversation about topics that weren’t of any personal interest to me. Being mindful of my task I interrupted Jack to ask if a call to the Property Manager was appropriate to let her know I was waiting. The suggestion was a good idea and Jack moved swiftly to radio the ever-nomadic Property Manager of a guest in need. Jack then continued filling the time with what I had already determined as empty conversation. I found myself barely responding with “uh-huhs” only in an effort to be polite.
Still not really paying attention I became aware that this wasn’t Jack’s second day on the job but it was his second day back on the job. My interest only slightly peaked because I then wondered if I misheard Jack’s initial statement. The joyous man continued with the same pace as he had since I had been first introduced but now the conversation was becoming slightly more personal. Jack had in fact been an employee for over five years with the organization and once had managerial responsibilities of his own property before being transferred to this new location. His new appointment was to help administratively with the most basic of functions like answering the phone and taking messages.
My curiosity began to heighten and I inquired personally for the first time wondering why Jack was here. Again, with the same bouncing cheerfulness that had been before me the entire time Jack then shared that he was currently in remission of cancer. In the same melodic way that he had talked about other things for over twenty minutes Jack was now talking about his chemotherapy, the bone marrow cancer, not being able to go outside in the sun and thus the new desk job.
Jack now had my full attention as I now sat upright staring into Jack’s eyes with total concentration of every word that he shared. Jack didn’t dwell on this new alteration of his life and continued talking about other things of a more trivial value. I interrupted his dialog in sincere interest of his most recent past and asked about the cancer. He stated that he was offered a medical prognosis of living six months then he whispered maybe up to to three years… but he wasn’t worried about it as “he was living each and every moment.”
Jack’s secret to Joy
I felt the sincerity of his choice and wondered if I could help. I then asked the Source within “If Jack would die shortly of the perceptions of this disease?” The answer was direct and honest “Yes, very much so.” Without any significant pause in my conversation with Jack, I asked about his current intentions. He shared with joy in seeing my interest in the conversation grow as he highlighted aspects of his life. Jack then slowed and said that he remained grateful but he now concentrated on simply enjoying every moment that was extended to him. I smiled with watery eyes in acknowledgement and honor of his choice.
Then the Property Manager came abruptly into the room and introduced herself as Jack began quietly removing himself from the office chair in preparation of finishing his day. The Property Manager and I talked about my initial inquiry but I couldn’t now seem to concentrate on my task still thinking about Jack and his choice to exist in the moment. Like coming back into my body I remember walking outside the office with the Property Manager with intent to tour the grounds when I stopped and excused myself to go back into the office. I walked alone into the shabby facility to find Jack and extend my gratitude for his message. Jack was surprised to see me again and in a very brief moment I shared my sincerity of his loving exchange. It would be the last time that I would see Jack in this form and I knew by his eyes that he was aware too.
A life well lived
Jack wasn’t scared nor was he in control he was choosing to exist in the moment. I wondered if he had always been like that and in recounting my conversation I knew that he hadn’t. He had rediscovered the miraculous in which there is no time. My exchange with Jack was strong and as I recalled how often I’ve existed entirely outside the moment.
I couldn’t help thinking if I got the affirmation. The culmination of Jack’s entire lifetime was placed in a single sentence as he smiled and said, “I choose to enjoy every moment this life has to offer me.”