The Present Moment – June Pin-Up

In Australia June 1st is officially the beginning of Winter and today as I write I’m staring outside my office window at a rainy overcast day. Phillip Humbert’s latest newsletter arrived www.philiphumbert.com covering a talk about living in the moment. The speaker claimed that, psychologically, the “present moment” only lasts about three seconds. Phillip says he has no idea how scientists measure that, but for those particular three seconds, he plans to have a great life!

What can happen in three seconds? In three seconds I can make choices. In three seconds I can smile, blink my eyes, say no!
In three seconds I can read this quote: “Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.” ~Mark Twain

More importantly, it only took three seconds to feel enormously grateful to my friend Kim Baird – my beautiful cover girl featured on all three front covers of the “Daughters of the Wind” series. I remember that within three seconds of meeting her, many years ago, I knew I’d met a kindred spirit. It took me barely three seconds to read her recent review of “Winds of Time” but far less than three seconds to feel very happy that Kim thoroughly enjoyed the book. What a relief that my cover girl loved the story.

“Travelling through the ancient monuments of Egypt and bound up in the lives of Jessikah’s family, this book was a mix of real life and fiction.Drama, crime and history played out in a magical place. It’s sad to see the end of the trilogy as I’d become so absorbed in the people’s lives. A brilliant mix of excitement and drama with the exquisite Arabian horse in amongst it all.
Can’t wait to read your next novel’s Carmel!”  – Kim Baird

Holbrook Jackson says: “The time to read is any time: no apparatus, no appointment of time and place, is necessary. It is the only art which can be practised at any hour of the day or night, whenever the time and inclination comes, that is your time for reading; in joy or sorrow, health or illness.”

I suppose my three seconds are up because, Bobby D Rowley (ghost-writer) has wandered into my office to let know it’s time for some quality time together. For the next three seconds I watch his determination to persuade me to leave the computer … He’s irresistible!

In closing I’ve decided to use every second wisely refusing to fill my time with garbage. To this end I’ve ignored the news because I am tired of gloom and doom. It’s much nicer to retreat to a fictional world where I can read about or even create controversial lives but with happy endings. I’m not sure how many people have happy endings these days.

I intend to take time to live in the present moment, talk with the wisest, and most enjoyable people I can. Learn from the experts! Listen to my favourite music. Sit quietly, embrace nature and listen to my heart. Laugh all the time, and be grateful. Live an ideal life and remember: “Hide not your talents. They for use were made.What’s a sundial in the shade?”~ Ben Franklin