Everyone says to do it but it seems a struggle many deal with or I'm thinking the message would be waning as opposed to increasing. It's not a new theme, many of the oldest philosophers and spiritual leaders on record have given the same advice to the people of their time. How then, can there still be such an issue with the application of such a simple piece of advice?
The funny thing is that none of us can ever know what the next moment will bring let alone future events. As the mother of a teenager and a one year old toddler, I can assure you that each moment is an adventure of the unknown. My sweet little baby has learned to walk and climb rather well already and will be trotting along in play when all of a sudden out of nowhere, loses her balance and smacks her head into something. It typically happens so quickly I am running to coddle and comfort her instead of saving her from the fall. She herself is always surprised and seemingly offended by whatever inanimate object she has fallen upon and received her latest lump from.
My son is learning to drive and the fear of the unknown on the road is the terrifying aspect of teaching him and allowing him to eventually drive away on his own.
God willing, my daughter will eventually run and dance and exercise her body with few or no bumps and falls just as her brother will hopefully take the wheel of his car without any major accidents. The scary thing is that while these optimistic views are likely to occur, we never do know what will happen and it is that unknown that haunts most of us; the possibility of the unpleasant unknown. This is what drags us down and prevents us from not enjoying our now, fear and worry.
My son is learning to drive and the fear of the unknown on the road is the terrifying aspect of teaching him and allowing him to eventually drive away on his own.
God willing, my daughter will eventually run and dance and exercise her body with few or no bumps and falls just as her brother will hopefully take the wheel of his car without any major accidents. The scary thing is that while these optimistic views are likely to occur, we never do know what will happen and it is that unknown that haunts most of us; the possibility of the unpleasant unknown. This is what drags us down and prevents us from not enjoying our now, fear and worry.
Fear is the true F-word.
I can honestly say I am not unhappy in my current situation in life. There ARE days where I feel like I am not doing what my 'life calling' may be or that I am not sure why I went to college and then became a stay at home mom. My teenager can take for granted the many things I do for him and my husband can forget that I am still the woman he used to woo with romance and sensitivity. Things break, finances are unstable, friends come and go, health fails and strengthens, family dramas unfold, diapers and laundry never end and dishes multiply like Gremlins. If, while enduring these minor life trials, I could know that in a few years would have done something that impacted many lives in a positive way, the rough days would be more bearable. But that is not how it works. We never get to know the end of the story until we get there. The problem is when we arrive at the end of the story, it is over. This is why we need to love the now!
The ironic thing is that often our 'now' is what we used to wish for in our past. I sat today remembering all the times I struggled to make it to my son's school events or sport's games because of working. I remembered what a struggle it was to pay for daycare as a single mom and how badly I wished for a husband that would treat me well and love me and our child(ren) with all of his heart. I thought about how I had two surgeries to treat a disease that made having a baby almost impossible and could have left me completely barren. I remembered when I longed for good friends who would love me like their sister and not be petty or jealous or cruel. I thought about the fact that I wanted time to be able to focus on my writing and share all that I have been through. It was after this reflection that I realized what an incredible 'now' I am having.
I encourage you to stop. Look around. Check out where you are compared with where you used to be and see what kind of 'now' you are missing while you look ahead. Do it.....now.
I can honestly say I am not unhappy in my current situation in life. There ARE days where I feel like I am not doing what my 'life calling' may be or that I am not sure why I went to college and then became a stay at home mom. My teenager can take for granted the many things I do for him and my husband can forget that I am still the woman he used to woo with romance and sensitivity. Things break, finances are unstable, friends come and go, health fails and strengthens, family dramas unfold, diapers and laundry never end and dishes multiply like Gremlins. If, while enduring these minor life trials, I could know that in a few years would have done something that impacted many lives in a positive way, the rough days would be more bearable. But that is not how it works. We never get to know the end of the story until we get there. The problem is when we arrive at the end of the story, it is over. This is why we need to love the now!
The ironic thing is that often our 'now' is what we used to wish for in our past. I sat today remembering all the times I struggled to make it to my son's school events or sport's games because of working. I remembered what a struggle it was to pay for daycare as a single mom and how badly I wished for a husband that would treat me well and love me and our child(ren) with all of his heart. I thought about how I had two surgeries to treat a disease that made having a baby almost impossible and could have left me completely barren. I remembered when I longed for good friends who would love me like their sister and not be petty or jealous or cruel. I thought about the fact that I wanted time to be able to focus on my writing and share all that I have been through. It was after this reflection that I realized what an incredible 'now' I am having.
I encourage you to stop. Look around. Check out where you are compared with where you used to be and see what kind of 'now' you are missing while you look ahead. Do it.....now.
Steph good work and keep blogging....
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