Each year I re-read my favorite book, The Alchemist, and annually it’s as if I’m relearning many of the same lessons which have left such an indelible imprint on my life. I love how life gives us multiple opportunities to learn the same lesson until we get it. Here’s one I’m still learning:

The secret is here in the present. If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it. And if you improve upon the present, what comes later will also be better. Forget about the future, and live each day according to the teaching confident that God loves his children. Each day, in itself brings with it an eternity. – Paulo Coelho

This week I also marked my 41st birthday, and I spent it like a dream, surrounded by my favorite people in one of my favorite places in the mountains. It’s taken me a long time to learn this particular lesson, the idea that everything I need is right here in this moment. I can remember growing up, my grandmother repeatedly saying to me, Sam, you know Rome wasn’t built in a day. Apparently I was constantly in a hurry to get to the next thing. Sometimes that led to careless mistakes. Most of the time though, it just meant that I missed out on enjoying the moment, which is its own kind of victory. I was (and still am) constantly trying to improve upon the present, but I hadn’t fully released what a gift the present can be, until now. 

The question I’ve been asking myself lately then is, how do I pay attention to what’s going on right now? Let’s face it, this is a busy season of life. My wife and I have four daughters ranging from 14 (in a few weeks) to 5, so we’re in the throes of raising both teenagers and little ones still. We’re both entrepreneurs, pursuing our dreams in our career which brings its own set of challenges. There’s a lot going on! At times, some of it actually feels more like distractions than the main event. And then I remember, we built this life. We choose (most) of our circumstances. We played a hand in curating these conditions. In each of these conditions are the seeds of eternity. 

So, I’m beginning to think differently about moments. I’m rediscovering play which is a game changer. I need it now more than ever at this time in my life.  I used to be a much more playful person and even my wife has noticed over the years that I’ve become more, well grumpy at times. I always knew play would be my salvation, I just needed a reminder. Big shout out to my wife for bringing me back to this lesson. That’s the beauty of traveling companions who know you well. 

The girls notice as well when I’m in a playful mood and they seem to like carefree dad. I like him too. He’s lighter and less weighed down with the responsibilities that come with life. I hope to bring him back down the mountain with me in a few days. Just like you never forget how to ride a bike, at least I still remember how to have fun. That’s a lesson that stays with me, even at 41. 

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