All that we have...the present

I hear all sorts of sayings in recovery (and in life)…On occasion I come across something and things suddenly ‘click’.

I'd like to share one of those things....the following excerpt from the book I’m currently reading "A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose" by Eckhart Tolle:

"In 'The Power of Now' I mentioned my observation that after two ducks get into a fight, which never lasts long, they will separate and float off in opposite directions. Then each duck will flap its wings vigorously a few times thus releasing the surplus energy that built up during the fight. After they flap their wings they float on peacefully, as if nothing had ever happened. If the duck had a human mind it would keep the fight alive by thinking, by story making. This would probably be the ducks' story:

I don't believe what he just did! He came to within 5 inches of me. He thinks he owns this pond! He has no consideration for my private space. I'll never trust him again. Next time he'll try something else just to annoy me. I'm sure he's plotting something already but I'm not going to stand for this! I'll teach him a lesson he won't forget.

...and on and on the mind spins its tails. Still thinking and talking about it days, months or years later. As far as the body is concerned, the fight is still continuing, and the energy generates in response to all those thoughts is emotion, which in turn generates more thinking. This becomes the emotional thinking of the ego.

You can see how problematic the duck's life would become if it had a human mind. But this is how most humans live most of the time. No situtation or event is ever really finished. The mind and the mind-made "me and my story" keep it going. We are a species that has lost its way. Everything natural, every flower or tree, and every animal have important lessons to teach us, if we would only stop, look and listen. Our duck's lesson is this: Flap your wings, which translates as "let go of the story", and return to the only place of power--the present moment."