The other day when I was browsing in our library I found what looked like a fascinating book.

"The Sacredness of the Present Moment" has a beautifully written introduction and I thought the book might have some sage advice about keeping our thoughts on the present moment.It's not as easy as you think it is.For at least the past year or two, I have been making a conscious effort to "stay in the moment" rather than letting my mind drift.Staying in the moment, we're told, allows us to be more aware of how we spend our days. It helps us graduate from too many mindless moments to mindfully guarding each moment of our days.Have you ever had the experience of driving along a road to a routine destination, only to realize once you get there that you saw nothing along the way because you were lost in your own thoughts?I think that's a more common experience than we realize.Or, have you ever gotten to the end of another day and wondered where the day went? It just seems to slip by and before we know it, another day disappears.The older I get, the more my days seem to slip by. One moment melts into another, the day blends into a week and the week disappears into a month all of it happening in a blur of time.I could swear I just flipped the calendar to October. Yet here I am with November soon over.I read that "being aware of each moment" is a way to better control the passage of time. Sure, time may pass just as quickly, but we will be much more mindful of how we live those moments.My very favorite book, "The Jesuit Guide to Almost Everything," talks about a practice at the end of each day that certainly makes us more mindful of how we pass our time.Jesuit James Martin suggests right before we fall asleep we review in our minds everything that happened that day like a motion picture of our life.While the purpose of that practice is increasing spirituality, it also seems to give me more control over my time by making me more aware how I am spending my days.My late husband Andy wasn't one who often shared his innermost thoughts. But based on the wedding present he gave me, I think he must have been aware of living mindfully. He gave me a watch with a Latin inscription that translates into: Time Flies. Be aware of the moment.Most guys would simply have had the watch engraved to say, Love Andy. At 25, the age he was when we married, he must have already given thought to the fleeting passage of time and the need to be aware of how we spend that time.When I took out that library book on the sacredness of the moment, I thought it might offer suggestions for how to live each day more mindfully. Unfortunately, it was filled with thoughts of 15th century philosophers and was too deep for me to gain much meaning from it.But I do try everything I can to be more aware of each moment, keeping my mind centered on the present.I can only do it for a short period of time before I find myself drifting to thinking about what's ahead of me instead of concentrating only on the present.For example, as I drove to church, I stayed in the moment, noticing the way the water sparkled when sunlight hit it. I noticed the beauty of children at play and saw the beauty of everyday life.But a short while later I found my mind was drifting as I thought about what I needed to buy at the store to make dinner.Others tell me they think it's impossible to "stay in the moment" without that drifting away.It's hard, yes, but I think if I work at it maybe I'll get better at it.Why stay in the moment?Experts tell us it increases our overall wellness, reduces everyday stress and makes us happier by making us more grateful for all the small things in life.We can't be grateful for things we don't see. And if we rush mindlessly through a day, we miss a lot for which we should be grateful.The more I take time to really see all those around me, the more delight I find in people and in all of God's creation.Experts also tell us we can be happier by leaving the past behind and concentrating only on the present. I can see where it is highly beneficial to leave behind all thoughts of a painful past.If we wallow in thinking about troubles and pain from the past, we miss the chance to find the joy of the present moment.But I must admit I also find joy when I think of the past and of the incredible people who have been a part of my life. Although I might not have seen them for years and may never see them again, it warms my heart to think about good people from my past.Perhaps that's what "living the moment" is all about.It's just another way of trying not to miss any of life's joy.