Why is it so difficult to live in the moment?

"Do not look in the past with regret for opportunities missed. Or in the future with false hope for anticipated opportunities. Seize the opportunities that lie before you. They are yours."

- Divine inspiration of May 24

Our past is usually speckled with the “If only” syndrome. "If only this, if only that!" The regrets of missed opportunities are damaging enough, but when further spiced with disappointment, frustration and recrimination, it does indeed become a potent mix. We often view missed opportunities as a cause to lament on, or if we are of a more positive outlook, as a lesson to be learned. The adage, “The strongest steel is made with the hottest flame”, could be applied here, to mean that 'the greater the opportunity missed, the wiser we become'. But is learning a lesson really wisdom? 

True wisdom is 'knowing' and acknowledging that there is no such thing as a 'missed opportunity'. The fact that it was 'missed' meant that it was not for you. The same could be said for living in the hope of taking advantage of opportunities in the future, keeping us in a constant state of anticipation. This habit of harking back to the past and anticipating the future is akin to living in summer whilst complaining about the severity of the past winter and cringing at the thought of another equally cold (if not worse) winter yet to come. 

The 'missed' opportunity here is the enjoyment of the moment, the glorious summer. Seize it, for it is only this moment that belongs to you.