Being present for the present

I have had the realization over the past couple days that I have no idea how to be present in the present. I am always thinking of "what just happened" or "what lies ahead." I hate that!!! I wasn't quite convinced that I was so terrible at living for the moment, so I decided to take a "thought inventory" over the past couple days.
I did not censor my thoughts, I took note of them. Sadly, a good 90% of them had nothing to do with what I was actually doing. They strayed to the lands of "what if?" and "one time at band camp..." more times than actually staying put right in the middle of "wherever I go there I am." Instead of feeling sad, I fantasized situations that would make me feel better, instead of being thankful, I remembered times I had nothing, instead of being happy, I feared what it would be like to be unhappy again.
I think now I am really beginning to understand a couple of spiritual concepts that seem so simple:
1. Do not worry about tommorrow, for tommorrow will take care of itself. Who can add a hour to their life by worrying? Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, with prayer and thanksgiving make your requests known to God, and the peace of God (note this is not MY peace, but God's!) will guard your heart.
2. Mourn with those who mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice. Love your neighbor as yourself. Do unto others as you would have them do to you. (I can't do nothin' for no one if I ain't got no clue where I'm at in the first place.)

I encourage all people to do this for a day. It totally screwed me up! It's great!
Chris told me a couple days ago that you can't sacrifice yourself if you don't know who you are. You can't sacrifice what you never owned.

Mary Engelbriet was right the whole time: