“But here I am in July, and why am I thinking about Christmas pudding? Probably because we always pine for what we do not have. The winter seems cozy and romantic in the hell of summer, but hot beaches and sunlight are what we yearn for all winter.” ― Joanna Franklin Bell, Take a Load Off, Mona Jamborski

Haven’t we all felt like this sometime? We’re in our present situation but our thoughts and minds wander off unsatisfied by our current state of being. We’re often not content with where we are or what we have, and our minds have the ability to both recall the past and dream of the future.

It’s the ultimate blessing and curse of the human condition.

Recent studies in the concept of mindfulness show that we can reap tremendous benefits when our minds are fully attentive to what’s happening and what we’re doing in the space we’re currently moving through. This isn’t to say we shouldn’t plan to better our future, or work to correct the mistakes of the past. It simply means that we should appreciate and focus on the here and now to truly appreciate our days and those whom we love without distractions of what ifs and whys.

This can happen to us when we lose someone we love. We find ourselves in state of deep emotional pain and grief. We want these feeling to go away as fast as possible. And they do…but then they come back. They leave, and return again to haunt us.

The pain will eventually subside and our lives will return to what will be a new normal for us. And while we must go on in the present, we do have the memories of the good times and experiences of our loved one who is now gone, but remains in our present in our hearts and in our precious memories.