You only carry the present

Marcus reminds himself that what each of us actually lives is only the present, this small moment; the past is already spent, and the future is not in hand.

The observation earns its keep under load. Much of what a hard day carries is not today’s: it is replay of what is already finished and rehearsal of what has not arrived. Both feel like work. Neither is.

The present is not therefore easy. But it is the only portion where effort changes anything, and it is nearly always smaller than the bundle you were carrying. Most moments, taken alone, are survivable; it is the aggregation that staggers.

A practice for today

Sort the load

1. When the weight arrives, sort what you are carrying into three piles: already happened, not yet here, actually now.
2. Notice the size of the third pile. It is usually one or two things.
3. Give the first pile to the evening review and the second to a plan or a rehearsal, once.
4. Carry only the third pile into the next hour.

The past still deserves review and the future still deserves planning; each has its scheduled place in this practice series. The correction is only that neither belongs in your hands all day, every hour, while the present goes short-handed.