Future Short

So, I was watching my children play today. They are content, unconcerned, and present. They are happy. And I started to think about how envious I am of their carefree ability to simply be. Kids are happy because they live in the now; unlike adults who always seem preoccupied with past and future events.

I am very future-oriented. I notice that I spend a lot of time looking forward to what is going to happen rather than enjoying where I am at… I know that a lot of people do this, but after a while it becomes concerning. This future-focused mentality lends itself to being in a state of unhappy… or maybe a better adjective is restless. I’m always restless.

Lately, though, I am worried about the future. I’m not sure if I’m going to like where it is taking me. I am not sure I want to leave where I am at. While my present isn’t perfect, there are a few things I have come to appreciate and to love. And there is a sense of nostalgia emerging as I think about moving on from what has become to dear to me.

There are about a thousand songs over this subject, so I know that plenty of people have felt what I am feeling right now. Change is necessary… change is good, but change isn’t always easy.

So, my resolution (and I am a bit late) is to take full advantage of where I am at right now. To live in the moment, to embrace where my life has brought me, and to mentally detach from worrying about what uncontrollable events are going to happen.