Last week, I learned a relatively new friend had passed away in a tragic accident. I met Ken about eight months ago, and had seen him at least half a dozen times at various Audi Club of Wisconsin events. Ken took the lead roll as a driving instructor for our club and I learned a lot from him about how to safely drive, even on difficult surfaces like ice. Ken also shared many tips and tricks about how to set up my car for track events. I had lunch with Ken and a group of club members just three days before his tragic accident. I remember looking forward to him being one of my instructors this summer at a two-day closed track safe-driving event. And now all I have is memories.
Live in the moment
There are no guarantees about you getting any more in life than you have right now, this very instant. Sure the memories are great; and I’ll think of Ken this summer when I drive at Road America with new break pads and other minor modifications to my vehicle. What I won’t get is his expert driving advice like I did back in February as we drove around on an ice-covered lake. I know I’m a better and safer driver after spending six hours with Ken and the other instructors.
During those six hours of ice driving school, I was 100 percent present in the moment. I’ve read plenty of articles in the last few years about putting your phone or mobile devices down when in the presence of others. I’m a huge, huge offender of this simple lack of courtesy; and I plan to change it. There are plenty of solitary moments when the phone can demand 100 percent of my attention instead of taking time away from another human being.
Love the pain as much as the pleasure
I sat with my good friend Cindi last Friday evening discussing this very topic and she made an observation (probably while I was checking my Twitter stream) that you have to live in whatever moment you are in. Sure some of those moments are “bad,” but they also just are. Embrace those moments the same as you do the “highlights” of your life, because it all counts and all helps you move forward. Maybe even take a moment to ask why you ended up in this bad place. In the answer to that simple question, you may find yourself propelled back to a better place.
Be there for others by being there for yourself
When you are 100 percent present for others, you are also 100 percent present for yourself. Imagine all the large and small details of a conversation you miss by allowing your mobile devices to distract you from the conversations going on right in front of you. The same is true of the conferences you attend. Imagine if you didn’t try and multi-task during the speaker’s presentation. You might find that one nugget of advice or knowledge that could propel a project you are working on forward. You can always tweet the highlights after the session is over.
Be present here and now because this moment is all life can guarantee you.
{
