Here. Now.

I have a tendency to look toward the future and ignore the here and now. It's a problem. And it's a really effective way to waste time. I've been reading a book that I've quoted here before called One Thousand Gifts, written by Ann Voskamp. It talks about her journey from bitterness and hurt to thankfulness and joy. I can learn a lot from her trek. It's similar to mine in a lot of ways. But, also like her, I have a lot to be thankful for. Joy could/should abound in my life. I just need to take the time to seek out and be wildly thankful for the gifts that I have.

I often look at today as a holding cell. As a time that I can't wait to get through. This time in my life was not expected, and I sometimes look at is as a very unfortunate amendment to The Plan. But the truth is that this time is a gift. An exquisite, shiny, beautiful gift. So I want to take the time to remember the things that are so uniquely "now" that have beauty bursting out of them.

Riding our bikes to get ice cream.

Blowing up an air mattress in our living room for movie night - or month.

Saturday mornings with no plans at all.

Watching him work in the yard while I sit on the back porch reading.

Pouring all of my kid-love on our nieces and nephews.

Planning our first grown-up vacations.

Trying new things and sometimes failing miserably.

Fixing up an old house. Over and over.

Painting walls and patching holes.

Walking through our banged-up neighborhood, imagining its restoration and hope.

Laying in bed face-to-face, dreaming about the future.

Making huge plans.

Playing silly games.

Being chased around the house in my pjs.

PB&Js every day of the week.

$5 movies Saturday mornings, because we're both frugal/cheap/poor.

Holding hands and going on walks.

Old appliances that rattle and howl.

Singing in the car, harmonizing together.

Fighting. Saying we're sorry.

A quiet house, full of peace and dust.

Growing up together. Seeing each other change.


I'm going to have a lot more. If I just look around, my life is FULL of hope and joy and beauty. These are the things I know I will look back on when life is busy and fast and wish I had cherished more fully. So I'm going to try my best to enjoy them well right here and now.

What are some things that you love about today?

Comments

  1. Being online when you post a new blog. My mind says, “Oh YAY!!”, my heart gets excited and my face breaks into a smile. :0)

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