True Happiness in the Present Moment

by Alan Smith
(OK, USA)

I have been worried about my finances for quite some time. I have two grown children and they are both unemployed at the moment. I just recently began receiving money for my home based business and was looking forward to having money to purchase things I had chosen to go without for a long time.

I love my children and want to help them, but I also don’t want to play the role of a martyr and always be self-sacrificing. And I certainly don’t want them to get used to lean on me more than one time or two because I want them to get ahead by themselves. After all, I won’t be there for them eternally.

On this particular occasion I had about $280 in my bank account and was trying to save enough to keep a balance of $1000 in there at all times. My daughter called and although she seldom asks for money, she mentioned that her food and other items for living were running low. I really struggled as to whether or not I should send her some money. I really wanted to have the security of knowing I had abundance, yet I also wanted her to be secure in having food.

I found myself going back and forth with the issue in my own mind. I didn’t want to feel sad or guilty about my daughter’s circumstances and I didn’t want to be sad or depressed by not having enough money for myself either. I realized this was not the first time I felt this way. It seems like every time I start saving something happens and I can't reach my goal.

As I felt the stress climbing, I decided to go for a long walk outside to think things through. I looked at the sights around my neighborhood as I walked.

I saw the different types of flowers and bushes people had in their front yards. I began to notice little things like the decorations people had on their front porches and listened to sounds like outdoor wind chimes and bird calls. I began to feel more relaxed and joyful as I walked and stayed focused on the moment I was in.

As I walked, I started asking questions in my mind about what exactly was bothering me. As soon as I realized that I needed to slow down and live in the moment I was in I no longer felt as though I needed to hold onto my money. I immediately felt relaxed and began feeling abundant.

As I thought and walked, a sense of happiness invaded me. I realized I had everything I needed today and more, right in that moment I was in. I had plenty of abundance to share with my daughter. This made me very, very happy!