What is perfection? What is the ideal life? When do we know that everything is exactly as it should be?

I don’t have the answer.

The hunger to want—to chase after our desires, to imagine and crave an ideal scenario, to lust after the unattainable and to curse the available—is human.

It’s as if, like sponges, we imbibe this trait to say: “I wish… I want… I need…”

“Want what?”

“Something.”

There’s no stopping this incessant and antagonizing ache in our craving tummy. We think of weekends on weekdays, of dinner during lunch, of summer during winter, of tomorrow today, of what’s later rather than now. But as I said, it’s human. That’s what we do.

Stop. Right now. And look around.

What’s making us happy now? What’s making us smile? What about this instant makes us want to fall in love?

The present gives us so many reasons to stay. But still, we want to run. We want to chase after what can happen. We don’t know if it will, but we choose to forget all that we have right now and focus on the possibilities.

Come back. Right now there is so much happening around that we can appreciate—but we have to try. So let’s begin.

Allow something—anything—to pull us here for a few moments, again and again and again. Make that effort till we can actually enjoy it, not thinking of all we need or all we’re waiting for.

Maybe it’s just listening to the sound of the wind or the rain. Maybe it’s taking in the sunshine or hearing someone laugh. Maybe it’s watching how our toes curl up without realization, or noticing we forgot to blink while reading this. Or maybe it’s feeling our heart beating or listening to the sound of our breath. How does it feel?

For that one reason, choose to stay here. Use the strength of it to be in the here and now.

How does it feel?

All we feel right now—that’s all we need to take in.

All that is happening around us right now—that’s all we need to take in.

Take it all in and let it soak our minds, as we actually come into this moment. Let those gates of possibility close for a few seconds.

And now let it all go.

While craving perfection, we forget to enjoy the neurotic sanity that life offers right then and there. It’s all exactly how it should be—the ideal life we want is happening right now. This very moment. We remember that, grasp onto it and actually live it in the moment.

And whenever we come back to our everyday chaos and start chasing after the complete life again, tell me if you find it. Tell me if it comes by. Tell me if it happens. ‘Cause believe you me, when the madness returns, I keep searching too…

 

Author: Disha Singh

Editor: Evan Yerburgh

Photo: Author’s Own