You must be present to win! It’s April 1 as I write this, and while that’s not a meant as a joke, it seemed a good way to welcome the new month.

The quote is a citation from a beloved Buddhist meditation teacher, Jack Kornfield. He reports seeing a sign outside of casino in Las Vegas reading “You must be present to win.“ Seems like the irony is worthy of April 1 🙂

And it also this seems like a perfect focus for April, for Spring, for my life, for Life, and for sharing. Spring is exploding here, creating vibrancy — inside and outside…a good opportunity to explore presence.

What does it mean to be present? In part, it means to be fully in touch with something right in the moment… like the smell of the hyacinths, whether full-sized like the one we were given a few weeks ago, or the sweet, delicate, grape hyacinths punctuating the gardens. Or noticing the glory of the flowering cherry trees, or the camellias or the daffodils… Or the sensation of walking, stepping on the to sidewalk, or the grass, feeling the earth beneath my feet.

What about the feeling inside? It is joy, wonder, curiosity, appreciation…or maybe I am feeling nostalgic, concerned, or all of the above. In touch. Present. Here. Now.

I must be present to win. If I’m not present I lose so much! It makes me laugh after all. So it really is appropriate for April 1! There you go 🙂

Jill Schroder is the author of BECOMING: Journeying Toward Authenticity.  BECOMING is an invitation for self-reflection, and to mine our memorable moments for insights, meaning, and growth.  Check the website for a sample chapter, or see the reviews to get a flavor for the volume.  Follow me on Twitter, let’s be friends on Facebook