Life is busy. And it’s tempting to believe life could fully be enjoyed once things settle down or we reach a particular milestone. But if we miss life now, we will likely still miss it then. Life is happening now. It doesn’t wait for our next promotion.
This is similar to the advice given to high school students – encouraging them to enjoy their time in school without worrying about the rest of life. The point is learning to be present in the moment and drinking deeply of their current season, as they will have the rest of their life to think about their careers and other adult responsibilities.
But, like many high school students, we too struggle with finding life in our current season. With them, we assume our life can begin once we “graduate” – whether this is finally getting the dream job, having kids or becoming empty nesters, or even retiring.
Whatever it looks like, we’re prone to always be looking to the next life stage for life to finally be rewarding. But we take ourselves with us wherever we go. And so while our external circumstances and life stages might change, the quality of our life remains the same from one season to the next. If we cannot experience life to the full now, things will not be much different later.
Of course, some seasons are more challenging than others and we naturally look forward to getting through the storms of life. But weathering storms and waiting for daybreak is not the same as always pining for a better tomorrow while missing the richness of life available today. A postponed life becomes an unlived life.
In the end, eagerly look forward to the many ways your life will improve in the future without missing the beauty and joy already available today. Someday robs you of today. Live life now.
