HE PRESENT WE GIVE OURSELVES IS PRICELESS by ASHLEIGH OSTIN
TLIVE TODAY A
ll too often we are told, “Live in the moment,” and all too often we nod in agreement and subconsciously let
these words pass in and out of our minds without giving them much acknowledgment, simply because we have heard them over and over. I, too, have generally thought of these words as cliché but as I found myself at the pinnacle of my skating career, in my junior year and third season skating for the Miami senior synchronized skating team, I began to reflect on how I got here. Growing up in such a goal-ori-
ented and accomplishment-based sport, we set goals, we meet them, we raise the bar and we surpass it. This cycle continues, until one day we find ourselves at the senior lev- el, astonished at how we got there and how fast the time passed, de- spite everyone who warned us it would fly by. Looking back it is amazing
how much we accomplish even as young skaters with big dreams, but were we ever really present for each moment and step of the jour- ney we took to get there? Or were we so preoccupied with the larger picture and our greater goal that we dismissed the importance of each day? It is important to set goals
and strive to reach them, but when we achieve a goal and then won- der how we did so, this is a sign we
need to slow down and breathe in as not to lose sight of the beauty of the moment and the place we are in now. From winning my first medal
at the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships in 2004 as a juve- nile skater to traveling for the first time as a member of Team USA to the Cup of Berlin in 2008 to com- peting at my first senior World Championships in 2011, it’s been quite a ride. Many have taken or will take
a similar journey. Of course we remember the hard work and dedication, but we could appreci- ate the rewards of our hard work exponentially more had we been fully there, even for the seemingly monotonous day-to-day routine. During both the good moments and those times of adversity, if we are present we can appreciate how they have shaped us as skaters and as people and the reward will be much more meaningful and close to our hearts when we get there. Therefore, our challenge is
this: Be grounded in the present. There is no sense in rethinking those things we regret from the past or worrying about what the future will bring. Living in the pres- ent is like meditation; there are no worries or regrets, just experienc- ing. By doing this we can get the most out of our skating careers and life. Of course this is all easier said
Ashleigh Ostin, center, and her Miami teammates perform at the 2012 Dr. Porter Classic in December.
Ostin (third from left) fondly remembers the first U.S. medal that she won in 2004, skating to The Lion King.
than done. I feel as though I’m liv- ing an amazing dream right now that I never want to wake up from. But I’ve made it my focus to be as fully present as I can be for all of
it, so that when I do wake up and my skating career has come to a close, I can smile contentment in knowing that not only did I live my dreams, but I have vivid memories of each and every small moment that formed my own unique jour- ney.
Ostin’s first international competition in Berlin was a moment to savor.