We hear it all the time:
“Live in the moment.”
“Be present.”
“The power of now.”

Simple words. Beautiful advice. And yet, if I am being honest, so difficult to follow.

I have often wondered: Can we really live in the present? Or is it one of those ideals we strive for but rarely achieve fully?

As a mother, a professional, a daughter, a partner, a friend, life constantly pulls me in many directions. The mind wanders to tomorrow’s meeting, a school project, that email I forgot to reply to, a conversation from last week, or a memory from years ago. Sometimes it drifts to hopes, dreams, or even small worries that seem to sneak in when I least expect them.

Modern life doesn’t make it any easier. We live in a world of endless notifications, constant connectivity, and ever-growing to-do lists. The moment we try to pause, a beep or a ping reminds us of what we should be doing next.

And yet, in the middle of all this, I have realized something beautiful.

Living in the present doesn’t have to mean living every single second fully immersed in the now.
Maybe it’s about finding small, stolen moments of presence.

Like that quiet cup of tea in the morning before the house wakes up.
Like watching a child laugh, lost in their world of play.
Like a simple conversation with my partner during a long drive.
Like the calm I feel when I sit down to write, even if only for a few minutes.

These small moments are my windows into the present. They are not grand or perfect, but they feel real and grounding. In those few minutes, the past fades, the future pauses, and there is just now, simple and peaceful.

I am learning to cherish these moments without expecting perfection from myself. After all, the mind will always wander, that is its nature. The trick, perhaps, is gently bringing it back when we can, and forgiving ourselves when we can’t.

So yes, they say live in the present, and maybe we can.
Not always. Not completely. But in bits and pieces, in fleeting moments that make life beautiful.

And perhaps, that is enough.