Have you heard this song by Trace Adkins? Basically, it's a guy singing about his daughter who, rather than living in the moment, is always focused on the next stage of her life. Are you guilty of this? I think I am to a certain extent. The chorus of this song is:
You're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this
Each year around my birthday I take a few minutes to ponder the whole age/aging thing. My philosophy has always been why be upset by something I can't change (Oh if only I could effectively apply that philosophy to other parts of my life!). I can acknowledge that there are things I miss and if I could do them over again I would. Regrets I suppose.
For example, I think I can remember far more about Kera's childhood than I can about Trav's. Thinking when they get older and can fend for themselves, I can have a life again. Well, they're 31 and 28, and I certainly have all the life I can handle. But, yeah, I'd take those days back in a hearbeat if I could go back knowing what I know today. Knowing enough to savor the moment. Knowing that life flies by in the blink of an eye. Knowing that the quality of life doesn't necessarily get better - it just changes. Knowing that those days really would become "the good old days."
Life really is what you make it. I need to remind myself of that now and then and remember to savor this moment and only this moment.
5 comments:
And what a bout time wasted? Words not spoken.....I've always heard/heard of people who didn't say "I love you" to someone the last time they saw them, then never got the chance. When dad was in the hospital after his first heart surgery, I made DAMN SURE I said I love you...
The list goes on....I need to quit before I get started...
Rick
I have thought about that when DH and I are fighting and we don't patch it up before he leaves for work the next day. What if something happened? I'd never forgive myself!
Donna
First mistake is going to bed mad...
Rick
Donna~
i thought a lot about what you had said the night of your b-day party, and realized how proud i was of you for coming to these realizations. This is life and it is only what you make it, and now is the time to start. better late then never. i wish for some people i have had in my life they could have come to this time and place in their minds... but it doesn't happen to all of us. you have to listen, listen to the world around you and yourself, your heart. do what drives you in life. the moment you love, you are unlimited. live love. and that is such a beautiful, fulfilling life!!! i am glad you are a part of mine!
Thanks, Allison. It's interesting because if I list out the things that are most important to me, those are not the areas that receive the majority of my time - whether actualy physical time or thought/mental time.
There does have to be a balance of responsibility though that cannot be pushed aside. We can't simply live in the moment without a care for the future - that would be irresponsible.
Certainly lots of room for thought around this topic. The trick is how to get off the roller coaster so that you can focus on the things that are most important.
For example, work is certainly an important part of life. I really don't want to live to work. Yet, I bring the baggage of work home with me mentally all the time. I don't think this is a gender thing necessarily, but many men I know are better able to walk away from their daily jobs than women are.
Post a Comment