The thought passing through my mind that I can’t turn off was not as eloquently put as Anne’s, but the point was the same. What if I had postponed my happiness and waited to enjoy my life until that perfect time when everything was in order and everyone else was taken care of and I find out that I’ve waited too long and run out of time?
This concept has been weighing on me and I saw this Anne LaMott quote on my friend, Mimi’s, from http://waitingforthekarmatruck.com/ wall and it made me feel so good to know I’m not the only one having this thought. Well, especially if Mimi and Anne LaMott were too!
When I was a child and old enough to realize that not every family had a drunken brawl every Saturday night I thought I’d be happy when I moved out and had a family of my own.
And then I did.
When I married and had a family of my own I thought I’d be happy when my divorce was final and he was finally out of the house.
And then he was.
Then I thought I’d be happy when I found love again, and then I did, and I was.
And then it ended
When I was alone with my children in my own home I thought the time would be right to be happy when it was easier and they were all in school, when the oldest could help by driving, when the older two were in college, when the youngest drove, when the youngest was in college.
And then they all were
And I looked around and saw how much time had passed and asked myself why I didn’t enjoy the trip instead of focusing on the destination.
It’s something about turning 50 I think. Each day I remind myself that this very moment is the most important moment in my life. I may still have many years to do all that I want to do but I have only this instant to enjoy what is already in front of me.
Take inventory of all of the wonderful things you have to be grateful for and celebrate right now. It’s all you really have.
Learn from the past, set vivid, detailed goals for the future, and live in the only moment of time over which you have any control: now.
Denis Waitley
Magnolia Beginnings 
Yours is the first post I’ve received since discovering that almost everyone was going into spam. What a wonderful post to come back to!
Welcome back, my friend!
Beautifully and honestly said Mo. Our journeys are, beginning to end, just one moment following another. Just as we walk…one step at a time. Enjoy your moments my friend. Give each one all you’ve got and take from them all they’ve got to give. Each moment is its own destination…xoxo
“Each moment is its own destination” love that!
Love, love, love this post! Facebooked, Tweeted and LinkedIn!
Diana xo
You can’t even imagine how happy that makes me! You have absolutely made my day! Thank you.
Awesome – that makes my day!
Diana ❤
This is a GREAT post, although it struck me that what you are saying is something entirely different to what Anne Lamott is saying. She is saying “just DO it” (all the things you dreamed of one day doing); whereas you are saying ‘stop what you are doing and enjoy the peace of where you are’. (take time out to enjoy what ever it is you are doing, right here, right now).
Thank you. Yes, I suppose you’re right. I’ve just been realizing lately that I’ve been too focused on what’s next to enjoy what is now.
Reblogged this on THE STRATEGIC LEARNER and commented:
Pure poetry, cleverly disguising some very valuable life lessons …
What an incredible compliment coming from you. Thank you!
It’s only too easy to stay so focused on that next goal, that next experience, that next moment, isn’t it Maureen? And then you wake up one morning and realize that decades have passed while you were trying to “get situated.” It’s oh so very hard to really live *in the moment* and allow yourself to just ‘do’ and ‘be’, but with every passing day I’m realizing that it’s *incredibly* important…. And with that, I’m going out to soak up some of this glorious sunshine… Hugs, L
So true. Glad to ear you gt out and enjoyed the sunshine! If you really follow that logic it makes every small moment special. So easy to lose that in the midst of MONDAY…
Very true and very well said! I’ve tried to stop wishing my week away and hoping Friday comes quickly. I have not looked at the bigger picture, like you described, yet. 8)
Thanks so much, Katie!