The law of here and now is fairly self-explanatory. In as much as it is good to take a sneak peek of the future and make forward leaning plans, one ought not to get too blinded by the glamorous vision and forget to live in the present where all the focus needs to be in order for one to actualize the goals. Grandiose plans without action is as meaningless as an imprint on a worn out coin. Furthermore, one is apt to miss out on opportunities that might crop up while one is deeply engrossed in the future. Likewise, living in the past is detrimental as well. Bitterness over past misdeeds will more than likely guarantee a repeat of the same wayward pattern and gloating over past success robs one off valuable time that can go towards the attainment of significant strides. Replicating the same or even greater achievement will remain at best a pipe dream and will happen when pigs fly. Therefore, it’s best to live in the moment and have a go at life even if your ducks are not lined up in a row.
Karma refers to the force that is induced by a person’s deeds. The law of here and now is one of the subset laws of karma. The two are interconnected in the sense that the law of here and now acts as a get out of jail free card. Past negative actions that can spawn negative karma can be rectified if one embraces the moment and makes a conscious effort to change. Turning over a new leaf is only possible if you live in the present. Fortunately enough is that even if one is plodded knee deep through the mud, making a turnaround is quite possible. Similarly, even if many of us are the equivalent of computers infected with dangerous viruses, the law will reverse the tide. The past ought to remain behind us and save for lesson digging, lingering there may prove counterproductive. Focus on today and strive to get better than yesterday. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad once said “A man of good deeds will become good.” Couldn’t agree more. Performing good deeds is what makes us better people and the turning point might as well be today.
Making mistakes is part and parcel of human nature. In my case, the mistake and lesson came in quick succession. It all happened too fast and I dusted myself up having learnt a thing or two. Despite having fallen flat on my face in the middle of a busy shopping center, I got up and knew what not to do. Dolled up in my Sunday best outfit, my friend and I paid our other friend a visit. For one reason or the other, a series of unfortunate events tends to befall one who opts to dress up in a bright colored trouser more so a white one. The contents of either your plate or stomach can leave an indelible mark on your outfit or as was the case in my scenario, mother earth decided that it was an opportune moment for both of us to make full body contact. The leg contact alone proved to be insufficient and the silver lining is that I received the advantages derived from the fortuitous grounding which took place in the split of a second.
On that Saturday afternoon, we headed to our friend’s place for a visit which ought to have lasted until the next day but was abruptly cut short. No sooner had we entered their compound than we found the members of the homestead pushing a stalled vehicle which had refused to start. It was an old pick-up truck which had a rail at the back. It took multiple attempts to get it to start and when it finally did, the three of us boys hang on the back as it made its way to the main road. The driver did not bother to stop and we knew that our goose was cooked. As he accelerated, panic got the better of us. The first boy jumped off and fell on his back. The second one let go and fell on his side. Within no time, it dawned on me that I was left alone. I was wet behind my ears and it was clearly depicted in the decision I made. I jumped as well and landed face flat on the ground. The forward momentum dragged me on for a few yards and when I came to a complete stop, I was smack in the middle of the shopping center. To my chagrin, several people rushed to see if all was well. It indeed was but my ego was bruised. Slightly up ahead was a junction and the truck had to stop at the junction before joining the main road. Had we been slightly patient, all this would not have transpired. I learnt a quick lesson therein and the same mistake has not recurred.
Not too long ago, a friend mentioned in passing a keeping up with the joneses incident that left me in stitches. An acquaintance of his once hitched a ride and travelled upcountry. A journey that ought to take six hours at most took two days courtesy of a flawed decision. The car owner wanted his older car to look as good as some of the newer ones on the street. Therefore, prior to take off an all-round tint was placed on the vehicle windows including the windshield. The fitting exercise gobbled up time and by the time they hit the road, sunset beckoned. Barely an hour after the journey commenced, the driver struggled to see the road ahead and his pace was excruciatingly slow. He tried all manner of things including turning on the full beam headlights to the dismay of oncoming traffic. It was not even fully dark yet and visibility was close to nil. They aborted the trip, spent the night in a dingy lodging and proceeded with the trip at the crack of dawn. As soon as they reached the first major town, the first port of call was a garage. The car owner wanted nothing to do with the tinted windows. It was removed at the earliest opportunity. In as much as his pocket took a hit, he heaved a sigh of relief and learnt a lesson or two. He was forced to eat crow and admitted that he had made a Himalayan blunder.
At the onset of my stay in the land of milk and honey, I committed a series of missteps and strayed off the beaten path. When it dawned on me that the gap between where I ought to have been and where I was had widened, I knew that a giant leap wasn’t enough to get me across and that I needed something bigger to bridge the gap. I had to contend with making baby steps and embrace the present by focusing on doing my best since my work was cut out for me. To that end, I shunned the past and was least bothered by starting from scratch. I even toyed around with the idea of relocating to the land down under. Fortunately enough is that things didn’t get to that extreme. With a minor course correction, I got back on track and recovered lost time. Through sweat, blood and tears as well as burning the candles at both ends, I completed the first and knocked off the second degree in a little over a year. Had I remained glued to the past, my life would have taken a different trajectory. Kindly blink your eyes and you will be reminded that you are living in the moment. Therefore, make the right decisions now shall you?
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