Over the last few years, I’ve been looking into and taking some classes that have a lot to do with Eastern philosophy. One of the big concepts within that doctrine is the importance of living in the here and now.
The Dreamworks animated film called Kung Fu Panda is one of my favorite movies. There are so many great lines from that movie, but one of my favorites is this one: “yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.”
It’s so very true and makes perfect sense, but living that way can sometimes be a little difficult.
It would mean we shouldn’t worry about the future or get caught up in the past. How many of us have really been able to do that?
I imagine it would be quite freeing to be able to live, fully, in the right now – nothing ahead of us and nothing behind.
But for me, that’s an ability I’m still working on.
Some animals, however, seem to have it down.
For a lot of our pets, the past is kind of a foreign concept, as evidenced by the fact that you can get up to go to the bathroom and when you come back, your dog greets you like he hasn’t seen you in years. I’ve experienced that numerous times with a variety of pups.
Sadly, some animals do seem to remember their pasts and while they may not have specific memories like we do, they associate certain triggers with what they have been through. I can’t tell you how many men wearing baseball hats will set off some of our dogs in the kennels at the shelter.
It makes you wonder what someone wearing a baseball hat may have done to them in the past.
Still, not many animals will rehash past experiences like humans tend to do. Yes, they may have reactions to something that reminds them of what they’ve been through, but I have seen so many animals bounce back from traumatic experiences to live happy, joyous lives.
And so, I’m struck again by the concept of living in the present. It must be amazing.
Even my cats will display this – to some extent. They certainly don’t seem to be terribly anxious about the future or upset about something that happened to them in the past. They tend to hang out in front of windows or beg for food or walk all over me while I’m watching TV, seemingly without a care in the world.
Interesting, though, my one boy, Grayson, has started to fear thunderstorms. I think he can sense the barometric pressure drop and wanders around the house crying until he finds a suitable place in which to hide. Once the storm has passed, he doesn’t dwell on his fear, though. He does tend to bounce back rather quickly.
As humans, with our complex brains and our sometimes remarkable tenacity to hold on to experiences and memories that no longer serve us, we can get incredibly stuck in the past or the future. Yes, as a friend once said, our past is what makes us (and I do agree with that), but if we hold on to something that happened years ago and allow it to truly shape us, how will we ever have the chance to grow or be happy?
Our four-legged counterparts are typically free from that trap. If you ever see a cat chasing a toy through a house with abandoned glee or a dog frolicking in a dog park, you will have visible evidence of exactly what I’m referencing.
Wouldn’t it be nice to live life with that kind of real, genuine zeal?
Here’s the thing, though: who’s to say we can’t? Like my acupuncturist tells me, it’s so important to just let it go. Let go of what came before and let go of what will be. We really don’t have any control over either, so live in the moment – right here and now – because really, in a cosmic sense, there is no other time.
Animals can teach us so very many things about life when we allow ourselves to really learn from them. And their concept of time – or lack-there-of – could free a whole lot of us from worry if we would choose to live more like them.
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Jennifer Vanderau is the Publications and Promotions Consultant for the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter in Chambersburg, Pa., and can be reached at cvascomm@cvas-pets.org. The shelter accepts both monetary and pet supply donations. For more information, call the shelter at 717-263-5791 or visit the website www.cvas-pets.org. CVAS also operates a thrift store in Chambersburg. Help support the animals at the shelter by donating to or shopping at the store.
