I believe the true value of being in the moment is that it stops us dwelling on past unhappy events. For most people, regret or remorse is nature’s preferred setting when we’re not entirely engaged in the present - probably to teach us not to repeat past mistakes. “Beware the past,” wrote one poet, “for in it lie deep pools that beckon us to insanity.” Like all good poetry this line amplifies life but the message is that dwelling on past events is painful. If being absorbed by something in the present fixes that problem, that’s a good thing. Personally I can be just as absorbed in an imagined future so being in the moment doesn’t have the benefit for me that others report. What’s your experience?