In seasons where life feels slow and dull and the future seems to hold all the promises we could imagine, it’s easy to focus on tomorrow like it’s the dangling carrot getting us through today. We keep our eyes on the prize, striving for the next day, the coming weeks, the summer months, or even next year. (Does anyone else remember how “it’s almost 2021” became almost an anthem in the closing months of 2020?) And while this attitude has some merit (keeping your eye on the goal and being mindful of a wide perspective is rarely a bad thing) I think often, it just keeps us from finding joy right where we are.
This mindset is common in a variety of life stages and seasons (the single person who wishes they could skip to being married, the married couple who wants to fast-forward to having kids, the apartment owner who can’t wait to buy a house, etc.) but I think it’s especially noticeable in our current pandemic situation. It would be so easy to write the whole year off and think, “Life can start again when the world is back to normal.” And I’ve done that myself! But then I start to miss out on the small, beautiful moments that are happening every single day.
My husband gets to do his classes from home with me, and we can spend time together every day.
My puppy has kept life interesting as she grows, and we’ve both been here to see it.
When we go for walks, people in our neighbourhood are so very friendly (from six feet apart).
Our neighbours leave us little notes a few times a week.
These are small moments, but they’re so lovely. And I would hate to miss them simply because I was looking ahead, living in a future that doesn’t even exist yet.
Are you ever tempted to live in the future instead of the present? What good things are happening to you right here, right now (no matter how small)?
Olivia Smit loves baking, visiting small towns, and writing stories that face hard truth with hope and encouragement. Her first book, Seeing Voices, is now available. The sequel, Hearing Lies, releases in July. Olivia has an Honours Specialization in Creative Writing, English Language, and Literature. She lives in Ontario, Canada, with her husband and their dog, Cassiopeia. You can learn more at www.oliviasmit.ca, or on Instagram and Twitter @oliviamsmit.
