I am quite sure that, like most children, I spent most of my earliest years living in a wonderful state of presence. In fact, watching my now 1 year old granddaughter live her life I am reminded how young children possess an incredible ability to not only be present in the moment but to allow themselves to respond to those moments unencumbered by preconceived notions of how they should feel about them or what a “proper” reaction may be. Instead of falling for a future conditional they meet what is, react as they see fit and then go from there.

Sadly, as our brains develop and as more and more memories form and as we start to care more and more about how we want things to be and as we feel more responsible for how things are, we seem to lose this wonderful ability to just be with what is.  And it is no wonder as we have been taught that  our adult lives are to be spent not in the current moment but in planning, worrying, and working toward some future moment when …..

When, then…. we will be happy, safe, content. When, then we can finally relax, rest, be loved. When, then everything and everybody we care about will be ok. When, then the world will embrace justice and know peace. Ah, what a moment that will be then!

Indeed …. the sacred and seductive, When-Then Sprite is known to most of us. Have you run into this playful little one in your life? They like to disguise themselves as very important and God-like in their ability to predict the future and seem almost wizardly in their ability to get us to do things. They tend to be especially active during election years and during the holidays (Black Friday is their highest of holy days), have you noticed? But alas, though their powers are strong in the moment, their promises often turn out quite elusive.

So what are we to do when we encounter this little sprite? As I have moved through my life being seduced by the When-Then Sprite’s promises and especially at those times when those promises are betrayed, I have found that the magic to breaking their spell lives in a few simple words.

When the little When-Then Sprite creeps into my ear and says… “when you do this then you will be happy,” I simply respond with this simple mantra:

“When-Then is Now”

“When you take care of that one thing, then you can feel successful,” says When-Then.

“When-Then is Now,” says I.

“When you find the perfect gift for everyone, then you will be loved,” says When-Then.

“When-Then is Now,” says I.

“When you correct all the injustice in the world, then you can know peace,” says When-Then.

“When-Then is Now,” says I.

I do want to correct injustice and find the perfect gift and take care of the things I care about. It’s just that I have come to realize, with the help of this mantra, that I do not have to wait until after they are done to know success and love and peace. Those things are accessible right here in the present moment. All I have to do is to remember to see them. As the writer Annie Dillard once said,

“Beauty and grace are performed whether or not we will or sense them. The least we can do is try to be there.”

May you be present now for all that is and trust that “When-Then” is actually, “Now.”