I was walking on the beach, the sun on my face and salt in the air. To my right there were two women talking. One younger, wearing shorts and a tank top and the other, older, wrapped in a sweatsuit and wearing sunglasses the size of saucers.
I happened to overhear a snippet of their conversation. The young girl said to the older woman, “It’s like when we get back home from this trip, my whole life begins.” I looked over, just barely, and my mouth turned into a slight smile.
I walked on, back to my chair, and when I sat down, her words hung in the air. I wanted to turn to her. To tell her. I’ve been where you are. I’ve stood at precipices in my life, waiting. Waiting for that one thing to be done. That one thing to happen at work. That one day.
I wanted to tell her though. Your life has already begun. It is happening, all around you. In moments and hours and days and years. In quiet corners and loud rooms. Don’t wait. Not for anything. You might wake up at 34 and have a lot of realizations hit you all at once.
And it struck me, how alike we all are. How we search for the same things, and are muddling through the waiting periods. How so much of life is connecting the dots to big moments, big destinations…one small moment at a time. Someone told me this week that I live in the future. All the time. Because the future is blissful and perfect and there are no limits there.
I don’t like limits. I am not that patient.
Some things are worth the waiting. Worth the confetti and the celebration and the hype. But I don’t want to wait for everything. I want to live in the small dots, the corners.
In the waiting, I want to feel peace. Find faith. Be free. I think we all do. The connections will all make sense eventually.
And another big day will come.
I love this! I don’t think I ever lived in the moment until having kids. Still, having this reminder is needed from time to time. Thanks!
Love this post! Sometimes I struggle with the “in between” and I needed this reminder today. Totally unrelated BUT…I have followed your blog for so long and I was thrilled to find out you are the opening key note speaker at Haven this year! Can’t wait! Hope to get an opportunity to meet you in person!
Thank you for this post!! It is beautiful and so important to remember to cherish every single second, every single moment.
I love this. Thanks for sharing these thoughts today.
Oh, if we could only remember not to miss all of the small blissful moments while we look forward to the big milestones!
Thank you for that, because when we look back at life it really is all of the little things that make life so wonderful.
Love the corners and how you tell your girl about life. I would say that I also don’t like limits.I read most of your posts in this blog, thanks for sharing your thoughts