by Karla Brandau, CSP

The State Fair was always the event of the year with all the lights, sights, a nd sounds that make kids think they are in wonderland. Mom and Dad would pack all the kids in the car to make the trip from New Plymouth to Boise, Idaho. 

 I can still the taste the delicious cotton candy. However, my most vivid memory is of my fickle sister, Joan. When we were on the tilt-a-whirl she wanted to be on the ferris wheel. When we were on the ferris wheel, she wanted to be on the roller-coaster. And when we were on the roller-coaster, she really wanted to be in the fun house.

She could never enjoy the moment.

Adults often exhibit similar behavior. When we are at home, we think about work and when we are at work, we think about home. When we are playing tennis we have this feeling gnawing inside that we should be cleaning the garage. When we are cleaning the garage, we sure wish we had time to relax and play a little tennis.

We are preoccupied and do not give full attention to the activity of the moment. This reduces productivity and causes us to live in a frenetic mental and emotional state. We worry about events or tasks we cannot affect and we live out of balance.

An ancient fable is told of a man who was being chased by a tiger. As he was running, he literally ran off of a cliff. On the way down, he grabbed a branch. He looked up into the gaping jaws of the tiger and winced at the claw pawing for him. He then heard another thunderous noise and looked down. On the ledge just beneath him was another tiger looking up at him with hungry eyes.

His life passed before his eyes and disappeared. As he took a long, deep breath, he noticed a wild strawberry that had been kissed by the sun until it was brilliant red and perfectly ripe. With one hand, he reached over and picked the strawberry. He ate it and enjoyed it--never worrying about the tigers of the past or the tigers of the future.

We need to apply the tiger principle in our lives. Don’t worry about the tigers of the past or the tigers of the future. Approach each moment as if it were the most precious moment of your life and you will find balance and inner peace.