In years to come, how will you remember 10/10/10?
Today is a very special day – 10th October 2010.
There has been much written about today’s date – 10/10/10.
Various cultures see the number ten as lucky – and today is one of the busiest days for weddings around the world.
Many couples are getting married and tying the knot today expecting this day to bring much love, happiness and prosperity.
Today also sees thousands of events around the world to remind people about the impact of global warming and the importance of doing something about it.
What are you doing today to mark this historic date?
This morning at ten o’clock, I did a special meditation – and 10.10.10 came and went in a state of calmness and bliss. And that’s how I will always remember it.
How will you remember this special day?
Later on this afternoon, I shall be off to Regents Park near my home in central London where like minded people are coming together for a peace meditation.
Even nature has obliged by giving us a clear sunny and warm day!
So that’s 10/10/10 – special memories of a special day.
How do you remember your special moments in your life?
We all have those life-defining moments in time which we will always remember – a bit like how everyone used to remember where they were and what they were doing when JFK was shot.
That was a long time ago – maybe the modern equivalent of our turbulent times is the moment when they first heard of 9/11 in the USA or 7/7 in the UK.
We also have those personal life-defining moments that impact us deeply or dramatically change the course of our lives.
Here are some of the moments in my life I shall always remember:-
1. Getting a phone call from my mother at 1am on a Sunday night telling me that my father had just passed away. Life was never the same again.
2. Being in the room next door when a friend’s son was born, hearing his first cry and seeing him twenty minutes later, looking as if he belonged in this world and had always been around.
3. Almost choking when my ex-wife told me in a Chinese restaurant that she no longer had the feelings for me that she thought she ought to have.
4. Watching the live TV images on 9/11 at a hairdresser in the City of London and seeing the twin towers come down in NYC.
5. And my favourite – experiencing unconditional love for the first time in an Indian orphanage which literally changed my life forever.
The point is that such memories and defining moments is what makes our life what it is.
On this special day of 10/10/10, which brings with it a timely reminder to all of us to cultivate and care for our planet, I would like to remind you once again that everyday and every moment is special.
Just look at all the miracles happening around you!
Always remember to live your life as if everything is a miracle.
There is much to love and admire in our world – you just have to be present to these things.
For instance, I have visited some amazing places, met some incredibly generous and loving people and experienced kindness and nobility beyond belief. And such experiences are always there for everyone.
Also, you don’t even need to have anything special happening for you to experience each moment in its fullness.
You can make every moment special just by being present to it and being mindful about what you are doing or not doing.
You too can get to experience life in its fullness – just be open to what each day and each moment brings.
To end this special post for 10/10/10, here are some ideas for you reflect on and apply in your life from today:-
1. We are all here only for a limited period of time so make the most of it.
2. There is more to life than accumulating more stuff so stop this mad drive towards having more.
3. Ultimately, we all want the same thing – happiness and contentment. Aim for that, rather than material and superficial success.
4. Global warming is happening, no matter what the cause and we have to do something about it. Do your own bit today and everyday.
5. If peace is to happen in the world, it’s up to each one of us. Do your bit to bring peace in your own world.
“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed“ – Gandhi
Let this day be the day you begin to review your life and change your priorities. Make today an extra-special day in your life.
Let 10/10/10 be the day you begin to make each day extra-special:-)
Image courtesy of Greenpeace Finland
Arvind: What a beautiful post and I am glad to start my day with this post top of mind. You are so right that we all have the ability to focus on special moments and when we choose to appreciate everything around us, we really open ourselves up to experiencing life in the greatest ways. It is so easy to overlook that and be consumed with all the issues and challenges that may come our way. Thanks for turning my attention to where it should be. Great post.
Sibyl, thanks for your kind words on this auspicious day.
Simply by appreciating all around us, we get to have many special moments.
May you have many special moments today and everyday:-)
Hello Arvind,
This is good for thought on reflection of our messy lives and turbulence world.
Forget about yesterday as it’s already expired, do not worry about tomorrow, for what will happen tomorrow for us is dependent on what we do or say today. So make something out of today and everyday and all the days of our lives will always be special and worthy of remembrance.
Great post for soul searching!
Thank you, Arvind.
Hello again Alex,
So true – forget about yesterday and don’;t worry about tomorrow – simply make the most of today:-)
Make today count and the future will sort itself out.
Let’s all have many more special days worthy of remembrance.
Thanks for sharing, Alex.
It’s always a good thing to remember the special moments in our lives for so many of them are not ‘nice’ special moments.
I find it strange how people place so much emphasis on past events and number combinations that might mean disaster or even be auspicious.
Make every day a special day in your life. It will never come again nor will you be able to relive it except in your memory.
So today is the most special day of your entire life.
It’s a day to be grateful, to enjoy the fullness of your senses, your relationships and a day of expectation, believing that only good things will happen so that when you go to bed tonight, you’ll say “it’s good to be alive!”
Andre, its our “special” moments that make life so worthwhile:-)
And yes, there is no room for superstitions or looking back at the past. Today is all we have so make it extraspecial:-)
It’s certainly good to be alive!
Hi Arvind,
I fully agree that *this* is the moment that we know we have… so I may allow my heart to open to it and fully embrace it as it is presented to me. I may also create this moment to be anything I wish it to be..I may use the resources I have right now to make this moment my magical reality…
I do understand about defining moments, but I try to integrate them into my essence and release them after they’ve happened..I think the past (whether we label the event good or bad) may limit my choices today if I review it too much..so I release the past and stay mindfully present to all that is right now..
The feeling of my children being born, or my first night sail on this boat that I live on, or a special kiss..wow..but even those amazing feelings may limit me if I hang on to them..so I integrate the joy, then let the event go…as for the ‘less than’ moments, I let those go as they happen..I allow them to motivate me to learn as I experience them, then release…
Because this moment is what I know I have, and I want to celebrate it fully….I think it’s a little different perspective than most, but I truly do love fully and this allows me to do so…
Thank you for inspiring us by sharing such insightful tips..may this moment you are in fill your heart with great peace and joy…
Dear Joy,
Thanks for sharing at such length about special moments and also defining moments – they can be difference as you have so eloquently outlined.
I agree that by holding on to past moments, good or bad, we could be limiting our experience of the current moment.
Thanks for sharing your lovely perspective on enjying each moment – and may you continue to have many special moments:-)
And thanks for all your kind words.
Just look at today’s date – it’s never existed before. That’s a reminder that everyday has unlimited potential and potency. Every day has something succesful about it. So 10/10/10 is a great date from the Universe saying, “Go make your life ten out of ten”. And we can when we realise that all power is in our hands, all possibility in our minds, and all love in our heart. I thank you Arvind for taking time to remind us all of this.
John, great way of looking at it – go and make your life 10 out of 10!
Indeed all power is in our hands, all possibility in our minds and all love in our hearts:-)
Thank you for sharing such private and personal moments in commemoration of the special day that is 10/10/10. It is a reminder that the personal is universal, as so many of your moments, I have felt too. And your post is also a reminder that our lives can impact many if we embrace our short time on this earth. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are a dear man.
Thanks Katie – I am really grateful for your kind words.
Maybe reading your comment is a defining moment in my life – it’s really time to impact many lives by fully embracing my short time on this earth….
“Also, you don’t even need to have anything special happening for you to experience each moment in its fullness.”
I think the line reflects the essence of the article…that we can make every moment special if we are open to it and don’t rough it up with previous conditioning…
I am about to go to work this Thursday morning, and reading your post just before starting my day, made me feel: “Today at work and after it, let me LIVE. Let me chill out and take in whatever is around me…let me enjoy every experience I have and experience the nuances of it..”
I am really feeling peaceful after reading what you wrote, Arvind. Thank you.
Megashyam, good to see you on my blog again!
As you say, we can certainly make every moment special if we are open to it and don’t rough it up with previous conditioning.
Wishing you many more days and moments of peace:-)