Warning: This little foray into Eastern Philosophy and pop psychology might get a little hokey!

But what the heck -- it works for me.

When I was in Korea I studied what you might call Zen Buddhism. No, I don't have a bald head, live on water and turnips, wear robes, get up at 4:00 to softly beat a gong in meditation or any of that. I'm just a guy with what you might call a spiritual sensibility but a fairly logical and curious mind, a guy who found himself climbing lots of mountains dotted with pretty little temples at one point in his life.

So anyway, a lot of Zen makes sense to me. Just live right. Be kind. Be conscious. Be present.

Be present. (Buddhists call it "mindfulness.")

This moment is almost gone...

... and now it's gone and we're in another.

Now that one's gone too.

I can no longer affect the moment that transpired just two seconds ago. Forget about what happened a year or two or a decade or two ago -- it's long gone and has no bearing on anything at this point.

And the future? A dream. I can set goals. I can hope. You know what, though? Spending my time dwelling on the future is just as pointless as dwelling on the past because it will be what it will be. Letting the future distract you from the present never conduces to an optimal outcome.

The only moment that matters is this one. It's the only moment over which you have any control.

Life is a highway (I wanna ride it all night long)... and the vehicle just keeps moving no matter what you do. You can accelerate and slow down, but you can never stop.

Think of the past as a rear-view mirror: Yeah, you should glance at it periodically, but if you focus too much of your attention there, you'll crash.

The future is a map. If you're looking at the map all the time, you'll crash. You just have to know where you're going. If you get a little lost, you can refer briefly to the map, but don't take your eyes off the road for too long.

The first priority is to stay on the road. The second priority is to enjoy the scenery to any extent possible. You won't stay on the road or enjoy the scenery if you're constantly staring into the rear-view mirror or obsessing over the map.

Be here now. Do the best thing in this moment.

It really is that simple.

May this moment be joyful, fulfilling, and productive.