“There is more to life than increasing its speed.” ~ Gandhi
Busy schedules and an unwillingness to deviate from the normal routine force many people to pass up opportunities to enjoy life. We tell ourselves we will get to it tomorrow when there is more time, but tomorrow never comes because tomorrow is never today.
If the passengers on the Titanic knew about the iceberg they may not have skipped the fattening dessert. We never know what the next day or hour will bring, so skip the fat-free dessert and go for the one nature intended it. It’s not dessert if you have to cut the calories.
How often has your child sat next to you with the hope of connecting while you were obliviously watching ‘reality’ TV? The real reality is all around you and can be experienced with all the senses. Reality TV is not very real anyway – just a lot of drama to make you feel better about your own life.
Your beloved pet gets brushed aside when you are too busy to take a couple minutes to focus your attention to simply say you love them. They love you unconditionally and only want a moment of your time. One day your pet will be gone and you’ll wish you had just 5 more minutes with them.
How many times has a friend asked you out to lunch and you hesitated because you need to do laundry, having nothing to wear, or you just finished a snack? Not everyone is in your life forever, enjoy them while you have the opportunity. There’s always room for a drink and an appetizer.
Plans are made to visit grandparents when the baby is out of diapers, a little older, or when his unexpected sister catches up with him in age. We wait to entertain because we want to paint the walls, replace the carpet, or buy better tableware. Your real friends will never judge you by your forks and knives.
Vacations are put on hold until we can afford the right wardrobe to go with it – do you remember what strangers wear on vacation? It is better to wear something old than something new and obnoxious when traveling (esp overseas). I’m confident people won’t notice your clothes as you stand beside the Great Pyramid at Giza or the biggest ball of twine for that matter.
We cram so much into our daily lives that we sometimes need to schedule a headache. We survive on promises we make to ourselves when all conditions are right. These conditions are rarely ideal and you’ll wait a lifetime for a setting that will never come.
Life accelerates as we get older, days get shorter and the list of promises to ourselves gets longer. Then one day we become aware, and all we have to show for our lives is a perpetual loop of, “We’ll do it tomorrow,” and “Someday, when things settle down.”
We fight the currents in the river of time when we should learn to go with the flow. There may be a reason we are being pulled to a certain depth or to a big branch hanging over the river’s edge. Enjoy the current, enjoy life.
Every day we live like this we fail to enjoy life and another day is wasted. There is no rush, take it slow, but always enjoy the music before the dance is over.
Tags: appreciate, don't forget to dance, enjoy life, enjoy the music, Gandhi quote, Gratitude, inspiration, thankful, time
Darrin, what a marvelous post. I enjoyed and agree with every single word. Now that I’m not working, I do whatever I want, whenever I want to and the freedom is wonderful. I never realized how much of my precious Self I was giving to others with no return, now I can please myself, and take time to enjoy things. I don’t go to sleep at night till I can find something to be grateful for, and some nights the lists are long, since I’m taking time to notice what makes me happy. I’m SO glad, for your sake and for your readers’, that you pulled back from the edge. You’re a wonderful writer! Stay healthy, be strong!
Thank you Melody! I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying yourself
We have to make sure we are happy before anything else. Some people think that’s selfish but it’s really the opposite.