"Kids get up in 10 minutes, got to get in the shower"
"I have 5 hours until the kids get home.... need to run to walmart, costco, get my hair done"
"Kids are home, dinner in 2 hours, what to fix..."
"Aw, kids to bed in 3 hours, I am going to clean the house, put the toys away, enjoy some 'me' time"
"3 more hours of my shift and then I get to go home"
Isn't it amazing how we 'tick' our lives away. I was speaking with a co worker last night about this. We of course had different views, but at the time, I was simply being reflective. She mentioned that we had 5 more hours on our shift and then we got to go home. I replied that it was interesting how we are always living a few hours ahead of the 'now.'President Monson, the prophet of our church said in the last conference and I paraphrase that "Too many tomorrows make up a lot of empty yesterdays."
Always living for the future. One might argue that we are just accomplishing little goals by making it from one hour to the next. I don't disagree, but if we always live for 3 hours ahead of where we are at, where does the time go? And where is the 'now?'
I have tried to live a little more in the now for the last few days, because I feel like I have been 'ticking' the time away.... Can't wait until the kids go to bed when I can get some stuff done, can't wait until my shift is over and I can go home (ok I agree, not a bad one), can't wait until next week when I can get my hair done, get a massage, and whatever else.What about living for today? What if there are no more tomorrows? or next weeks? Why do we incessantly look to the future, forget the past, and ignore the now? My girls are growing up right before my eyes. I try not to say things like, Can't wait until Mikenna is in Kindergarten all day (this will be very sad mind you), they grow up so fast. That and one minute they are here and the next they may be gone, grown up, and moved out of the house, or on the other side of the veil in Heaven.
If we don't enjoy the now, then what will we look back on when we are old and sitting in our rockers on the porch. We will simply only be able to think of wishing the time away to the future, to retirement, to when our kids are grown, we will have forgotten to make the memories of the 'now.'A few weeks before Daxton passed away, someone asked me what I was looking forward to. I honestly looked at them and said, nothing. I am enjoying the right now. There isn't anything I am looking forward to except right now. This is probably all a bunch of rambling, I just hope that we all enjoy the 'now' and stop looking so much to the future. Life is too short.
10 comments:
I've been following your blog for awhile and found it through A Daily Scoop, I think. This sentiment is so true and I was thinking the exact thing as well today - looking forward to the future (whether it's an hour away, a day, a year) is only hurting my progress today. I know I will look back and regret not focusing on the moments with my kids now - they grow up so quickly. I am so sorry for your loss. With every post, I cry but I also learn. Thank you for sharing your thoughts in such an honest way!
I feel the same way! (and it wasn't rambling) I married a man with 4 kids - I had one - the past 16 years have FLOWN by. I kept living for the future and didn't pay enough attention to the present. They are all grown and we only have our 17 year old at home. But today I have 4 grandkids - who I focus on and (try to) stay in the now for. Funny how as we grow (older and grow in the gospel) our perpective changes.
Thanks for the reminder...I always need it.
I have tried to live "now" since my daughter was born. Everyone told me it passes too quickly and it's true. Life challenges are around everyday but we have to learn how to embrace them. There are things to look forward to (trips, end of shifts, etc) but if you hadn't enjoyed even part of the time with your kids, Daxton memories would come only in your sleep as you tried to remember them.
I enjoy your posts and you views on life!
Thanks for the reminders....Pres Monson's talk at conference was one of my favorites. I just read it again a week or so ago. I always appreciate your insight and thoughts. You still help me to be a better person every day. Or atleast I try to be.
Great post, Britt. I love the pictures. You have such a good handle on what's important in life. Perhaps it's one of the lessons of great tragedy in life.
I really admire you and love reading your blog.
Thanks for having brunch with me today.
It was great to relax and chat.
So true. I've been guilty of wishing my days away. Thanks for the sweet reminder.
I think we all need this reminder every now and then. It is so easy to forget to enjoy the now.
I have been following your blog for a while now and love it. This is so true I kept saying I can't wait until my kids are in kindergarten then it was 1st grade so they would be in school all day. Well now my oldest child a son is 20 years old and my youngest is 13 I just told my husband I don't even remember my son as a baby or toddler that much I wish I wouldn't have wished it away! Thanks so much for your blogs I love it!
Brittany, I love your wisdom, writing & you. I gain so much from reading your blog. You are one elect lady that's for sure. I am another angel Mom & just wanted you to know I think you're amazing! Thanks again for the reminder to live in the now. Loves, Kass Tomany in Utah
Thank you. I needed that today. I just came to your blog after reading my best friend Stacie who lost her baby the same week. I told her how I read your blog pretty regularly and how you talked a lot more about daxton than she did. She said you say the things she is feeling. I have tried to keep that in mind when I read your blog. But today I feel like you posted for me. I am preggo w/#3 and I have an almost 'terrible' 2year old and I feel so like I am ticking my life away. I want to be done being preggo, school to be in school to be out. etc. I really appreciate you throughts.
Rach
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