A Lesson I Gleaned from the Jade Palace

Yesterday, I had a job interview. It's the first real one I've had in quite a while, which was cool.

I've been in this weird place recently, without full-time work but wanting full-time work—hoping that something will land and create a little bit more purpose for my future. 

Of all the things that I do with my life, a vast majority are intended to directly influence my future. Even this blogging project was developed with the objective of creating a more-robust portfolio and landing me a job down the road. My mind is consistently thinking about what's next, later, or what I could have done differently in the past to make my then-future (now) better. 

There was a Chinese philosopher about half a millennium before Jesus, Lao Tzu, who said, "If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present." 

The wisdom is beautiful, sure, but I'm even more impressed with his grasp of the English language and very poignant understanding of mental health awareness—both are very important to me. 

Generally, the message to live in the here-and-now seems to be a prevalent one. Unfortunately, though, I think that our society has done a poor job of actually fulfilling the mission. While we exist in the present, everyone seems to do so with their own head in the past and hands in the future—focusing on what has already happened while working on what is yet to be, with less regard for where their feet are grounded in the moment. 

It's hard to identify what it looks like, in practice, to live in the moment; and it's even harder to help guide others in the habit without sounding too much like a preachy self-help book. 

A simple request of the Google search bar for living-in-the-moment strategies will net some baseline patterns, all easier said than done. 

"Practice mindfulness meditation," "accept things as they are (not as you want them to be)," "notice your surroundings." 

It's all cornball stuff, some of which sounds like settling. 

And who even has time to practice mindfulness meditation? What the heck is mindful meditation? If I mindfully meditate, I sure won't think about what's going on right then and there. 

It was recently announced that there will soon be a fourth installment in the Kung Fu Panda film series. I recently rewatched the initial trilogy and can only assume that the writers took some influence from Lao Tzu's musings—all the talk of inner peace and chi is pretty heady for a children's movie. 

Master Oogway (master of the Jade Palace, founder of the Valley of Peace, creator of kung fu, really wise turtle) imposed on Po (student at the Jade Palace, citizen of the Valley of Peace, master of kung fu, fat panda) a reflection referential to Lao Tzu's: "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift, that is why it's called the present." 

Viewing each day as gift is a talent in itself. It takes a mental and emotional maturity that much of my generation has yet to comprehend. We're all told, in one way or another, that the first eighteen years of our lives exist to prepare for the best college we can attend, and the next four(ish) at that institution are used to get the most lucrative job post-grad. Everything's pointed towards the next thing. 

I hope this job works out. The one I interviewed for. That's where this post started. If it does, life's going to start to pick up again real quick. I won't be able to sit in the coffee shop for six hours a day. My life could flip overnight here, pretty soon. 

So, for the time being, I'm challenging myself to work harder to live in what moments I have left of flexibility and freedom not felt since high school. I'm challenging myself, and now you, dear reader, to just be—or not to be (Hamlet). Do or do not (Yoda). Noodle, don't noodle (Oogway again). 

Whatever we choose, I hope that it's with intent of doing so for now—for the moment—and I hope that the intent is enough. 

Through intent, we can work towards execution.

So, take a breath, bro. Be considerate of yourself. 

The past happened and the future will be there when you get to it. Easier said than believed, I know. 

But, it'll be good.