Fiction and life . . . from the desk of Gwen M. Plano
  • Home
  • Blog Reflections
  • REDEMPTION THRILLER
  • THE CONTRACT Series
  • My Memoir
  • Poetry
  • About

Past and present, a matter of perspective...

11/12/2015

1 Comment

 
by Gwendolyn M Plano
Picture
We were driving to the grocery store, my son at the steering wheel and I in the back seat with my two grandchildren. Giggles and gyrations entertained us, while buildings and manicured yards zoomed past.

And then, the unexpected occurred.

With one simple statement, my four-year-old granddaughter silenced the frivolity.

“Grandma, if you were still with grandpa, you’d have a dog!”

A look of horror went over my grandson’s face. Three years older than she, he bore the weight of propriety in that moment and quickly whispered in his sister’s ear,

“You’re not supposed to talk about that!”

Unfazed, my granddaughter frowned at him and then turned to check on my reaction.

I met her quizzical look with my own declaration, “I could get a dog if I wanted too, sweetie; in fact, I think I will!”

With that, she smiled and excitedly pointed to the neighborhood park, which she had just spotted. She wanted to play there—not later, “right now!”  

Order had been restored.

I often think back to this exchange. The unencumberedness of my granddaughter helps me see how the “stuff” of life can color our perspective. She could care less about what had happened years before; she was focused on a dog.

And I wonder, when Jesus told his disciples, “…unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven,” was he speaking about this?  

When I’m with my grandchildren, I’m brought into a world of play and immediacy that otherwise can elude me. Amidst the chaos of darting little feet and flying objects, I’m focused entirely on the present. I have to be! And in that space of frantic activity, I don’t think about politics, my “to do” list, or the past. I am simply present.

Author Eckhart Tolle wrote, “Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have. Make the Now the primary focus of your life.” I think children bring us into the Now, don't you?

Wow…another reason to visit my grandchildren!

Picture

1 Comment
John Fioravanti link
11/13/2015 07:51:12

This is a very moving and meaningful reflection on how we need to live our lives as well as we can... in the moment. Thanks for sharing this with us, Gwen!

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    For blog updates, please subscribe below. 
    * indicates required

    RSS Feed


    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    June 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013

Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. ―Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning


Plano Enterprises, LLC
Photos from Kevin M. Gill, Joel Bedford, qthomasbower, crosescribe, Juho Holmi, diana_robinson, W Presley & B Kunce Photography......WI. USA, U.S. Geological Survey, Ian Sane, florianric, NikoMC, van Van Es, Yen Chao 趙彥, MissMessie, Yuriy Kuzin, Ben Zvan, Bichuas (E. Carton), Nina Matthews Photography, hehaden, alexdecarvalho, Tim RT, Kurdistan Photo كوردستان, Candida.Performa, peddhapati (Thanks for 1M Views!!!), Jhong Dizon | Photography, Waheed Akhtar Photography, lawmurray, USFWS Pacific, JalilArfaoui, SurFeRGiRL30, Lauren Finkel Photography, maf04, SantaRosa OLD SKOOL, Dakiny, vauvau, Zanastardust, Monica's Dad, timpeartrice, marumeganechan, Rafael Acorsi, seyed mostafa zamani, Jorge Franganillo, Irene Grassi (sun sand & sea), The National Guard, D.Fletcher, nada abdalla, Ted LaBar, alison.mckellar, Infomastern, Elvert Barnes, m01229, theglobalpanorama, Sumarie Slabber, denisbin, Go-tea 郭天