Are your lights on?!

Ten virgins were waiting for the bridegroom to come. It was nighttime and they all had lamps with oil in them, and the lamps were burning brightly.
They waited and waited. As it got later, they began to get drowsy, and one by one they fell asleep.
Then they heard someone calling, "Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him."
They began to get up, but some of the lamps began going out.
Five of the girls were prepared for just such an event. They had planned ahead and anticipated the delay. They had extra oil to add to their lamps. They were wise to make this preparation.
The five foolish girls had no extra oil.

I have always liked this story. I could easily imagine the five foolish girls and the five wise girls and always though the foolish girls, well, foolish! And smugly I thought: that wouldn't happen to me! Or would it...

Eckhart Tolle offers a very interesting interpretation of this story:

The five foolish girls are 'unaware' they do not live in the moment. Their lack of oil represents there lack of awareness.
The five wise girls on the other hand have enough oil = awareness to keep their lamp burning = in the present.

According to Eckhart Tolle the story of the five girls is about the possibility to live in a completely new state of awareness. A state of mind in which all your attention is focused on the here and now.

'There's no room for daydreams, thoughts, memories and expectations. There is nog room for tension or fear. All there is, is you with every fibre of your body.'

It gives a whole new meaning to the phrase: punching someone's lights out!