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An inmate’s thoughts about “Living in the Moment”

Joe is serving his 37th year on a 72 year sentence in a Pennsylvania prison for crimes he committed during a weekend full of bad choices / moments when he was 19 years old. He is ever grateful that no one was killed during this crime spree. Here are some of Joe’s current insights on “Living in the Moment.”

“In the past, if something happened at any point during the day to anger, hurt or upset me, it most often ruined the whole day. I often carried the bad thing that happened from one day to the next.

However, living in the moment allows me to truly live. Now, when a bad moment happens, I am free to shake it off and to let go of that moment and remain excited to step into the next moment. I can embrace the next moment without any opinions or beliefs based on the previous moment’s experiences.

The same is true when a good moment happens. I am free to enjoy that moment, to cherish it and to eagerly accept the gifts it brings without any prejudice from preconceived opinions or ideas based on a previous moment, which may be irrelevant to a preceding moment.

Then I can let go of the moment and accept the next moment in the truth of all it contains without expectations or opinions, which could distort the truth of the current moment.”

~ Enlightenment Behind Bars: spiritual lessons by ten inmates, compiled by Theresa Crabtree

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