If you've been shopping lately, you may have encountered what I feel is a disturbing trend. Some stores already have Christmas items on display! And it's only October 5th!!

Not long ago, stores would put out their Christmas items on November 1st, just as they were taking down the Halloween items. Now it seems that the Christmas season begins as soon as the "back-to-school" promotions end. Where will it stop?

Why is it that we humans are so eager to live in the future? A more important question is:
"What are we missing by ignoring the present?"

If we are constantly thinking about how great things will be "once..." (once we get the promotion - once we buy a house - once we start our own business - once we retire, etc.) we run the risk of missing what the current moment has to offer. This is what I call "the once trap" and it has been the subject of a past Mindful Moment.

My son is just about 14 months old and in those fourteen months, I've had countless people tell me to cherish every moment because, "they grow up so fast". I can certainly understand what these people mean! I already miss some of the things that he used to do when he was first born - things he has already outgrown. So when he is asserting himself and testing the limits that my wife and I place on him, I simply remind myself to cherish these moments and not wish us into the future.

Christmas will be here soon enough. My son will be grown up before I know it. What might you miss if you're not careful?

ENJOY NOW!

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