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Wherever You Go, There You Are

by Ruth Ann Harnisch on 02/10/10 at 3:24 am

Day 41

I lost track of the time, and I missed the first session of TED University  today.

Ordinarily, I would have been really upset.  After all, I’m here for the TED Conference .

But I was doing something else that was important to me, and I’m glad I did it, even though I’m sorry I accidentally missed those TED U talks. 

It reminded me of major facts of life I’ve had to embrace: wherever I am, I’m not every other place.  No matter which person I’m spending time with, at that moment I’m not with all the other people I care about.  No matter what I’m doing, at that moment I’m not doing every other thing.  Every choice has an opportunity cost. The Buddha says, “Take what you want and pay for it.”

I could always be in a state of sadness and loss, missing someone, or some place, or some activity. I’ve learned to appreciate wherever I am without pining for wherever I’m not. 

So I missed TED U.  I’m not glad about that, but I am grateful for the opportunity to remind myself that I cannot be everywhere at once, and wherever I am, that’s where I’m supposed to be.