Arriving Here & Now

“When you enjoy every step,
you walk as a free person on this earth.
Breathing in, you may walk two or three steps,
and you may feel, ‘I have arrived, I have… arrived.’
I have arrived in the here and the now,
where life is available.
I have arrived means, ‘I don’t want to run anymore.
I have run all my life; now it is time
to lead my life properly, so that every step
brings me home, where I can touch life deeply…’
Breathing out you may make three or four steps,
and you may feel, ‘I am home, home, home.’
This is not a verbal declaration: it is a realization.
Every step brings you home to the present moment
where all the wonders of life are available
and your body is available….
Walk in such a way that you are not
looking for something else in the future.
You are touching the Kingdom of God.
You are touching the Land of the Buddha
in the here and the now.
Walk as if you kiss Mother Earth with your foot.
Every step is healing.
Every step is a miracle.”

…

~ Thich Naht Hanh, Plum Village, France, 6/2/2012

…
This is reminiscent of  Jesus’ admonition in Matthew 6 (KJ2000) to “take no thought”:

• Take no thought for your life… (Matthew 6:26)
• Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? (v.27)
• And why take you thought for clothing? (v.28)
• Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or How shall we be clothed? . . . your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. But seek you first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (vs.31,32,33)
• Take therefore no thought for tomorrow: for tomorrow shall take thought of the things for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (v.34)

Luke 9:23 [paraphrased] . . . “If any want to become my followers, let them deny [their imaginary, mind-made sense of self] and [facing reality] take up their cross daily and follow [the Divine presence that “I Am”]. 24 For those who [out of fear and wishful thinking] want to save their [imaginary] life will [in the process] lose [their real life], and those who lose their [imaginary] life for [the sake of the Divine presence that “I Am”] will save [their real life]. 25 What does it profit [those who wish to save their imaginary life] if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves? (cf. Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:35; Luke 17:33).