On the first school day of 2015, our five-year-old children were asked by their teacher what they did during the holidays. There was a lesson to be taught here on verbs, just the regular kind, where you add ed or d to make them in their past tense.
As is quite common among kindergarteners in the Philippines, the children were rushing to tell their own stories, albeit using the present tense of verbs. Teacher, being sensitive to the children’s ideas, lovingly corrected them.
I open my gifts. Great! Opened.
My family rest in the hotel. Wow! Rested.
We watch a horror movie. Really? Watched.
I cover my eyes because it’s scary. What? Covered.
As I just assist in this lovely class, I was amused with their verbalisations, my mind racing with thoughts, no, actions, however irregular they were. Being one of the adults in the room, I most definitely knew about verbs, the past form and especially the future.
I sure as tried to sleep more. I will try to do that still.
I saw my loved ones, lots of them and a lot of times. I will see them more often.
I spent time for my yoga practice. I will spend precious time with and for myself.
I was truly happy. I will be forever joyous.
In hindsight, and this is the real lesson here, the present is all we have. This unique, irregular kind of mindset is just slowly creeping its way into the mainstream, with our generation having been programmed to plan, to dream, to hope, to look forward. Absolutely nothing wrong with that except that we do not know what tomorrow holds for us, not even later.
So we hang on to what is here, now.
I am. Present. Irregular.
WorkLovePlayground 