Those Were Simpler Times

Upon the recommendation of my insurance agent, I borrowed a camcorder and video taped all the belongings in my house. My intention was to update that tape periodically so that should a disaster strike, my insurance would cover all the items shown on the video tape. The tape was safely stored in my bank's safety deposit box.

I recently needed to get something out of that box, and there was that tape. Upon closer examination, the tape was just shy of 12 years old (so much for frequent updating). I watched the tape with nostalgia and fascination.

There was my wife, and my two dogs. Albion, the intrepid sheltie was alive again! What a pleasure to see him animate again. Honey, the Siberian husky was so very young. It's amazing that she's still alive at the time I'm writing this! I watched as my wife and I plowed through dozens of belongings showing each one to the camera, and reading the model and serial numbers. 

My observations are: 1) I wish I had video taped more of the dogs. I really enjoyed that part of the tape, 2) The belongings seem so trashy and unimportant to me now, 3) Those days seemed somehow to be "simpler".

This got me to thinking. Doesn't everyone describe the past as being "simpler times"? Why is that? Why did it seem to me that my own past, only 12 years ago seemed simpler? It didn't seem simple when I was living it!

I am pleased to say that I've figured this one out. The past I watched on that video tape seemed simpler because I was only seeing the present moment -- the moment captured on the video tape! The tape didn't capture all of the baggage swimming around in my head at the time: "I can't believe my boss passed me over for that promotion", "I wish I had a larger house", "I wish I could afford a nicer car", and thousands of other thoughts and pre-occupations.

What that tells me is that if today I can live in just this moment, live in the now that is before me this very second -- the present moment, my life can be just as simple as what I saw in that video tape. I can live forever in simpler times. And so can you.