TODAY
My windows are fogged with a crisp frost. The air is filled with the aroma of my coffee and a slight chill that only winter can bring. The heat from my porcelain mug warms my hand. I am buried in my soft blankets, pondering life and all of it's mysteries.
Maybe life is more about the journey than the destination. More about the dance than the final pose. More about the race than crossing the finish line.
I am in a new world called college. It is quite a selfish season if we are honest. I am focused on finding myself, building my life, and growing my career. It is all about preparation and what is to come. I'm not trying to discredit diligence and preparation, for it is important to plan, strategize, and set goals. However, I have noticed in both myself and in those around me that we are all incredibly consumed with what is to come. What job are we going to have? Who are we going to marry? Can we become the individual that we want to be? Can we really change the world? While these questions are valid and important, I guess I am starting to question why I so quickly discredit where I am now... TODAY. Do I have a great career yet? No. Do I know who I want to be? Ehh, in progress. I get that college isn't the so-called "real world."
But it is our world.
All of the people and classes... the atmosphere of self discovery and desire to belong. No, we aren't where we want to be in 5 years. But 5 years ago we dreamed of being where we are now. I am dead smack in the middle of college, but it is almost passing me by because I am so caught up in "what's next." I don't want to forget that where I am now is good and is worth soaking in.
Have the coffee dates even if you don't have time. Put off that paper to talk about Jesus. Stay up too late and eat that dozen donuts. This is the only time in our lives that we can do these things and it is acceptable.
Embrace the journey.
It is not as much about what you accomplish as it is who you become.
Throughout high school, I dreamed of the days to come. When things at home were frustrating, when death occurred, and when life defied my perfect plan I would just think about the days ahead. However, in my dreaming of the future, I failed to see how my present circumstances were changing me. The times I most wanted to escape made me the woman I am today. I become compassionate for those hurting because I understood pain. I learned how to listen, really listen, because I desired a listener. I began to see that sometimes the best gift is simply meeting someone right where they are.
The reality is life is full of twists and turns and random curveballs. Instead of always looking ahead, what if we became content with where we are TODAY?
Today is beautiful. My heart is beating and my eyes are seeing. I am alive. I don't have it all figured out, nor do I even have a rough outline of a plan, but today is another day in the journey.
Each day is a gift that profoundly impacts the days to come.
Enjoy today.
