Do you ever have those moments where you are sitting around looking at something and all of a sudden you feel like youve been flashed back to 4th or 5th grade?
Today I arrived home from work and turned off my car. I was just sitting in the driveway, thinking about some things, admiring the gorgeous weather. I gazed into the clear blue sky at an airplane that happened to be passing and all of a sudden I had a quick flash into elementary/middle school. This may sound ridiculous but for a brief moment, memories from those days become so vivid and a smile begins to extend across my face.
Its amazing how time goes by so fast. Its sad really. I dont mean sad in the fact that life is progressing, I mean sad because of the fact that we rarely enjoy a time of our life for what it really is....a time of our life. All too often we get caught up in the past, and the future and forget to really live for the moments we have today. The worries of tomorrow seem like huge mountains that we have to climb before the sun rises again in the morning when in reality those worries are just bumps in the road that we need to step over. Wouldnt it be nice if we actually listened to our parents when we were younger when they uttered the words "dont worry so much, just have fun" or something to that effect. What a blissful childhood we all would have had. I think my little brother Ben is the only one that actually heard that message. The jury is still out on whether or not he had too much fun or not but I cant think of better example of a guy who lives for the moment.
This childhood enjoyment/worry complex Im talking about is a funny thing. It doesnt go away!!! It pops up again in high school, and then in college it just makes a home on your shoulder and camps out there for four years. Anyone who looks back at college would probably tell you it was the best four years of their life (or 4 1/2 years, or 10 years if your one of John Keller's several friends). Yet when we're in college, we are constantly "busy", "overworked", "stressed", and "tired". Hindsight is such a pain in the butt. Thats why everyone needs an extra semester like mine to live the college life without a care in the world :)
Botoom line....live in the moment. Dont dwell on the past. Dont spend days worrying about tomorrow. Today has enough worries of its own. I know its not my strength. I struggle to not look backwards or forwards. Im working on it though. Hopefully Ben can continue to give me some lessons. Lets enjoy the moments that are right in front of us so we dont have to look back and wish we had more mulligans left to use.
Later Days
When that plane went overhead and you were transported back to elementary school days, you didn't think of you being on a plane, did you? That would not be a pleasant memory for anyone!!
ReplyDeleteBrett, I love your insight and humor mixed in with it. Keep writing!
Love ya, Aunt Barb
you couldn't have picked a better picture to go along with you thoughts. :-) you made me flash back to the cruise when you zoomed in on that pic and we all lost it laughing at ben.
ReplyDeleteas for living in the moment...i'm not gifted in it either. i like a plan.
sidenote...you're such a deep thinker. college really made an intellectual out of you. must have been that extra semester!
Somehow I didn't see this until now. Really well done, great insight, and yes, Ben does get it.
ReplyDeleteOnly question...was the 10 year shot at me or Piron? I was a 5 year guy...with a 1 year sabbatical.