A defining moment with apples
A defining moment is a moment in which you realize something about life and about yourself. It can occur in the midst of experiencing an event belief or person or with hindsight and reflection after the moment has passed.
The phrase, “a defining moment”, popped into my head during an experience I had while shopping for apples in the fruit store at the local shopping centre. As I separated a single plastic bag from the roll of bags, I accidentally leaned with my back against the very full display of apples. Two juicy-looking red apples rolled onto the ground. Then another two crisp apples joined them! I dared not move, in case the whole apple display cascaded down around me. I could feel their weight against the small of my back.
Ordinarily, I would have panicked and felt highly embarrassed. Instead, quite spontaneously and calmly, I asked a lady near me to alert the checkout staff to the situation. Within seconds, a storeman appeared to help and steady the display while I resumed my normal centre of gravity! I simply remarked, “Sorry about that, that was a very full display!” and serenely went on with my shopping. The storeman took the grounded apples away for disposal.
While the event was happening, I realized that the practice I had been doing for a few weeks on observing my emotions and emptying my mind, or being mindful of what I was thinking feeling and doing in the moment, was paying off. At the dawning of this realization just as the storeman appeared, I gave myself a pat on the back. After the event, I realised that I feel naturally more empowered to choose what to think, how to feel, and what to do, more spontaneously, because I was able to say yes to what happened in the moment, rather than resist it. To my way of thinking, I have understood and experienced the essence of what Eckhart Tolle talks about when he focuses on the power of saying yes to living in the present moment. (See Utube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg9lY7_hCGA ) It’s practice that makes it natural.
I would be interested in hearing about other people’s experiences and perceptions of their defining moments.
Now, back to practicing being in the present moment!
Cheers
Frances