We often hear of the press putting a spin on an event or finding the right angle for a story.

When something happens the press want to report on those stories that will most catch our attention. And, it must have a story, a sense of drama that remains with us and encourages us to read on and follow developments each day.

What is a story and how do you make it dramatic?

Let's begin with words. A word is a symbol for the real thing. A symbol not the real thing. So we can easily string words together to lead our readers and listeners in the direction we want them to go.

Even as I write this article, I am spinning meaning. I am trying to take you to a point where you challenge all your thoughts, all you beliefs, all your stories.

We can choose words to manipulate, emphasize and dramatize. We can make an event more important that it is by choosing the right words.

Does that sound familiar? Isn't that what we do with our daily lives.

A child does something which we interpret as misbehaving and we react accordingly.

Our spouse expresses an opinion that we do not agree with and we say they are picking a fight.

A word is not the same thing as reality. A thought is not the same as the real thing. We use symbols to make events meaningful. And we control the meaning.

We put the spin in story. We write the story. We find the angle within our beliefs.

If someone else spins a story, we believe it if it corresponds to our beliefs. If it does not correspond, then we discount it. We question the story teller's credibility.

What are beliefs but rules we have made up using those same words that are just symbols of reality painted the way we want our beliefs to end up. We control the meaning.

Take for example your history. The story of your life. We, all of us, have had experiences we would rather not have. We can spend the rest of our lives focusing on those unfortunate events, or we can see that our life is happening in this moment.

Living in the now means, simply accepting your life as it has been till now and focusing on you life at this moment. Accept what is. It is what it is.

If you are an optimist or a pessimist, in neither case are you focusing in the now. You are focusing on the future over which you have no control until it happens. Positive or negative, you put a spin on what you expect.

Acceptance and Gratitude and  moderate Expectations are all aspects of happiness and of living in the moment.

Living in the now is being aware of where you would like to go without having firm expectations that it will turn out exactly as you imagine. The key word is imagine.

Be grateful for each moment you have, each person you are in contact with, each person you love.

If you expect life owes you everything, you will only find life meaningless. Your expectations may betray you.

Life is enough of a journey without giving the experience a spin or finding a dramatic angle.

Life is the story. The meaning of life is in the living.