Hello my friend,

We’ve got a serious problem in the West. We treat life as something to get through. We act as though we just want to get it over with already!

Nearly everything we do is seen as an inconvenience getting in the way of our peace and happiness. But when does the peace and happiness come? When we’re sleeping? When we retire? When we’re dead?

In the East, everything is meant to be enjoyed. The process is the purpose.

In India, no matter how busy they are, they must stop to have tea together and bond at 4 pm every day. They all stop what they’re doing, take a break, and enjoy themselves.

We scarf down fast food. They laugh over slow home cooking.

In the West, we go to the gym to get it over with. In the East, working out is a time to socialize and have fun with friends. In India, everyone in the gym introduces themselves and gets to know each other. My first time experiencing this, I kept thinking they wanted to use my machine. I was like, “Guys, the gym’s empty. Use another machine!” They were just being friendly, I was in a rush to finish.

Life doesn’t have to be hard. It doesn’t have to be grueling. Rushing is a terrible way to go through life. We all need daily rituals of slowness and presence, whether it’s sipping tea or coffee or calling a friend — whatever we can give our full and undivided attention to. We need reminders that this is life, it’s happening right now, and we only get this moment once.

So savor every moment, every flavor, every person, and every plant and critter. Savor the silence, the stillness, and the buzzing activity. It’s as simple as a perspective shift. How fun and interesting can you make a line at the bank or grocery store? How joyful can traffic become? We can sing, we can start a conversation, and we can marvel at all the interesting people and places.

Life is a gift. There is no later. There is only this ever-present moment. We might as well enjoy it.

Much love,

Todd