Being in the Moment

“I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it.” ― Groucho Marx, The Essential Groucho: Writings For By And About Groucho Marx

This weekend involved a visit with a young friend to Windsor and Eton. It was cold and dry, with a brisk wind blowing along the river Thames. It is years since I visited Windsor and Eton and wanted to see what had changed in the town as well as spend time by the river.

There’s a newly built precinct filled with lots of upmarket shops and there is the old part of the town near to the castle with the narrow streets and cobbled areas. It really is an eclectic mix of old and new. As it was a Saturday, the town was filled with shoppers and tourists. There were many different nationalities in the town and it was a pleasant surprise to see so many people out and about despite the cold windy day.

My friend & I grabbed a coffee and a sandwich, sat for a while chatting and the decided to go for a walk along the river.

It was bitterly cold. The wind was blowing along the river and despite the number of swans and ducks on the river bank, there were very few people out and about either feeding the birds or walking along the river.

We walked away from the town towards the sports centre and then turned back. It was at this point that I noticed that there was a fountain in a nearbypark. The fountain in question is the Jubilee fountain, erected to celebrate the Queen’s diamond jubilee. The fountain is 25m long with a circular pool at the centre. In the middle of the pool is a geyser with a “crown” of 60 water jets.

We sat on a bench and watched the fountain as it jetted water into the air. For ten minutes we sat in quiet contemplation; watching the jets along the length of the fountain.

Being in the moment, I noticed that each single jet did not repeat the symmetry of the water as it was jetted into the air. The effect of the wind and the weather obviously has an effect. Perhaps there are pressure differentials. Who knows.

What I noticed was that moment, to moment, every single jet was unique. The motion of the water was wonderful to see. I pointed it out to my friend and we continued to sit for a few moments, observing the fountain in motion.

I took a short – 15 second video of the fountain to save the memory. You can see the video the link below. If you watch closely you too will see that the vertical jets at the front do not repeat and are uniquely jetting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN7OYcH_XMo

I leave you with the following quote:

“The art of living… is neither careless drifting on the one hand nor fearful clinging to the past on the other. It consists in being sensitive to each moment, in regarding it as utterly new and unique, in having the mind open and wholly receptive.”― Alan W. Watts