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“As long as you are unable to access the power of the Now, every emotional pain that you experience leaves behind a residue of pain that lives on in you.” – Eckhart Tolle (1948 – ) spiritual philosopher

Eckhart Tolle – The Now Guided Meditation (12:31)

How have you experienced the awesome, healing power of living in the Now, lately?

THE NOW — A short story

by Vanitha Muthukumar

The owner of this plant wanted a few pots because everyone had greenery in their backyard. The initial novelty wore off after it gave flowers in plentiful.
He was indisposed and couldn’t water the plant for about a week. The leaves dried off and the plant almost looked like it had reached its last stage.
He began to water the plant again and after a few days, new green leaves appeared. He didn’t care when the plant dried off. But when he saw the green leaves and was overjoyed with new additions and for a while dismissed the brown leaves, slowly he understood they were leaving the plant and him, and the shelter he had provided-

THE POT.

Water source went down but it struggled to hold on to life.
These new green leaves which were not of the main branch, were more demanding than the brown leaves, and he had to water them two times a day, sometimes even three times. That’s when he began to look at the dying brown leaves. They had no demands and kept giving such fragrant flowers.
These green leaves were not of the main branch, hence may never give flowers. When the brown leaves were green, he never cared about them. Now his heart was with the green leaves but he was sad about losing those brown leaves, which were going back to where they came from- MOTHER EARTH. By feeling for the drying, dying brown leaves, he couldn’t fully settle his mind to the green leaves and the green leaves already looked a little pale yellow. Very soon, they would become brown and new green leaves would have come in their place.

…

He didn’t seem to understand that his neglect had caused the leaves to dry and fall off. Now, he should concentrate on the young green leaves and nurture it. His fickle mindedness was the cause. Once his mind becomes stable, he won’t wait for the natural death of the brown leaves but would pluck them all and throw away, to give the entire pot to the new green leaves. But the brown leaves had gratitude and wanted to give him less burden and merge with earth soon.
It taught him one lesson that day. He was constantly holding on to his past, not enjoying his guilt-free NOW and making his future also the same. He had to love himself, to be able to love just one person. One thing. One job. The duality will then be gone.
Not loving oneself pushes one to all kinds of distractions, habits Addictions and losses. (https://medium.com/@bluediamond108/the-now-a-short-story-fb57714180b9)