The only time is now.

Watched the bollywood movie “Baar Baar Dekho” this evening — a movie which had poor ratings because of a “predictable” second half. It’s a story about a guy freaking out before his wedding, who jumps first 10 days into the future, then 2 years, then 10 years — first seeing important from his life, and then his divorce, and becomes determined to stop it.

Reviews aren’t everything. (I quite enjoyed the movie, myself.)

The movie made a beautiful point that what matters is right here, right now. That there needs to be balance between the striving for the big things in life and paying attention to small things right now — and that ultimately it is paying attention to the people and moments in our life right now which brings us joy, not chasing our life goals.

For me, it’s quite poignant, coming off a couple months of busy projects with work. I struggle with work-life-balance — I would describe myself as passionate about my work, and also trying to “figure out” what I am going to do with my life. There is a book I’m reading: “That Which You Are Seeking Is Causing You to Seek” — the title itself contains a beautiful summary of the book.

Looking at my life, it is almost eerie how the book narrates itself, and makes it so clear how this constant struggle to find some work-life balance is actually causing the unbalance in my working habits. Couple this with my second struggle — a near obsession with trying to “figure out my life” — an answer which can’t exist when I’m seeking for it, because as long as I believe I need to figure it out, it implies I firmly believe I don’t know. (Which is quite true.)

They both twist back into a similar conclusion as the movie: what matters is right now, in this present moment. What’s happened in the past is in the past, all you can do is make the most of right now, but right now is really all that ever really mattered. Waking up and being present, right here, in this moment, will bring you the most satisfaction and joy in your life. (Where as working so hard that you don’t have time to think will only bring you memories of days that have flown by that you barely remember, because you were too busy to notice them.)

So, are you paying attention, right now?