Wednesday, February 2, 2011

I Want To Wear Flip Flops!

And I don't want to wear them in the snow. I also want an 80 degree day with sunshine, a spotless house, and a Hawaiian vacation with my husband. All of these things will come in time... but not now. In a few months, it will be 80 degrees because it will be summer. In a few years, my house will be spotless because my kids will all be out on their own. In a few decades, I will have that vacation to Hawaii because my husband will retire. For now, though, I have to be satisfied with 0 degree temps, a messy, um... I mean cozy home, and a night out on the town with my husband. If I focus only on what I want to change, I miss out on the pleasures of the present. I may want it to be 80 degrees, but there's something to be said for curling up with a good book on a cold winter night. My house might be cleaner when my kids are gone, but it won't feel as homey without the constant activity. And when my husband retires, we may be able to go to Hawaii, but he'll be home EVERY SINGLE DAY, ALL DAY LONG, pacing because he won't know what to do with himself (which will drive me absolutely crazy). The same could be said for my writing career. I want to be a published author, and I can do everything in my power to make it happen. But (and this is a big but) some things are out of my control. Not only that, but when it does happen, things will change in many ways. I'll have to spend more time marketing and less time crafting. I'll have deadlines that aren't just self-imposed. I'll face criticism on a much broader level. So, for now, I am satisfied with the present. I write for the pure joy of writing and am loving every stage in my journey. The rest will come in time, and who knows... I might miss this part of it.

42 comments:

storyqueen said...

I really need a post like this today! It is so easy to gt caught up in the destination that we forget about enjoying the journey.

(And the journey keeps changing so that we never really get there......)

Thanks for the dose of morning sanity!

Shelley

Theresa Milstein said...

I hope you enjoy your present. I am also one who looks to the future too often, and have to remind myself to appreciate the here and now. I've done it with writing, weather, and work.

Enjoy your journey.

The Book Nut said...

I have a college buddy that wears his flip flops in the snow all winter! He said when the snow gets up to 4 or more inches his feet tend to get cold! :)

I have always been one to make long term plans but end up missing out on the fun of the moment. I have tried to start focusing on the short baby step goals and enjoying the feeling of getting them done before I move on to the next step. It's hard though!

Ellie Kings said...

I'm forced to live in my present, but am learning to enjoy the journey. I'm sure I can give you the 80 degree weather today :)

Stephanie McGee said...

Hawaii sounds pretty nice right now. (I dreamt I was going there last night. Got my lei and everything. Never made it out of the airport, sadly.)

Focusing on the present is so hard sometimes. Especially when the future is so up in the air. Thanks for the post today.

Amanda Bonilla said...

This is a great post!! It's true, focusing on the present is important. But there's no harm in dreaming, right? ;) And, um, I would LOVE some 80 degree warmth right now. It's 15 below zero here this morning. I'm tired of the cold.

K. M. Walton said...

Great outlook, Susan. And it WILL come.

Carolyn V. said...

Great attitude! I feel the same way! I need to enjoy the ride, but I'm too busy being exciting for the destination. =)

Melissa said...

It is so important to be satisfied with our present. It's something I struggle with but always try to remind myself of!

That picture gave me a shiver! SO COLD LOOKING!

Shannon O'Donnell said...

Now this is the way we should always look at things--the perfect attitude. I needed this reminder, Susan!

Carol Riggs said...

Very wise post and advice! Live in the present, enjoy our lives--and our writing journey stage--wherever we are. Very nice.

J.B. Chicoine said...

That's kinda where I'm at right now, too...

...and please tell me those aren't YOUR FEET!

Patti said...

I'm trying to do this more. Not worrying about writing when I'm doing other things. It's not like professional sports, we writers have a bigger window of opportunity.

Beth Mann said...

Awesome perspective, Susan! Although, Hawaii sounds to good to wait THAT long for ;P

W.B. said...

I would love to go to Hawaii right about now. I want to get away from all of this snow. :P

Diane said...

..... and I don't wanna miss a thing!!!! Good reminder. :O)

Suzanne Casamento said...

Very well put. I'm going to have to reorganize my thoughts.

Laura Pauling said...

We have to be happy with where we are on the journey. This seems to be a common theme this week!

Unknown said...

Susan - I have a hard time living in the present too. Thanks for reminding me to think of now and not then. Great post!

Sarah Laurence said...

I laughed over your flip flops in the snow. I haven’t stepped outside without boots in weeks. We’re in a blizzard now. I liked how you balanced your aspirations with the comforts of life now. I have similar thoughts myself.

Carla said...

This is such a timely post for me! We're considering an opportunity for my husband to travel for a month to a country that I would totally love to visit. However, I 'd never give up the kids just for a chance to travel more! Ah, someday! Thanks for posting!

~Carla
carla-jansen.blogspot.com

Jayne said...

That old axiom "Careful what you wish for" comes to mind. But I do hope your wishes come true. I don't think they're too much to ask for.
And that husband of yours can peddle your books when he retires. ;)

Stephanie Thornton said...

I would love an 80 degree day right now.

But I still wear flip flops in the snow. I hate socks and I live in Alaska- bad combo!

Cathy said...

So true. We need to find what's great about each and every day, because the present is all we've really got.

Colene Murphy said...

Yes yes yes!! TO everything! Great post.

strugglingwriter said...

"I write for the pure joy of writing and am loving every stage in my journey. "

There can be nothing better than that. We only have so much time, after all. Might as well spend it doing stuff we like to do.

Stephanie Faris said...

I agree! Not to necessarily get inspiration from Miley Cyrus, but there's something to be said for enjoying "The Climb" because there will always be some other mountain we'll want to scale once we top this one.

Courtney B said...

I loved this post! I've been so caught up in wanting the future that I'm not appreciating my here and now. I'm going to do better starting... NOW! So thank you for this post :)

Tere Kirkland said...

Susan, you always put the best spin on things! I love this post!

Kathi Oram Peterson said...

You're right! So much of getting published is out of your control. Just be ready with a wonderful manuscript because the time will come when you're work will pay off.

Corey Schwartz said...

Yeah, its hard not to get impatient. My books comes out late in 2012. i just want it to be here already, but then 'll be ...gulp... almost 47! Don't want my whole life to rush by!

Unknown said...

Being present is what we have, today, now, forever really! I think you got it down on how not to hurry through life. I've learned that lesson in hard ways, especially when my first 'baby' moved out. Ouch! Life is precious. And when you do see that novel published how sweet it will be, being present to all the feelings coming with it.

BK Mattingly said...

I like this post and it really makes me wonder what I'll miss about this stage in writing when I've moved on...hmmm

Kristen Torres-Toro said...

Contentment is hardfought and so profound.

Sherrie Petersen said...

It's hard to remember to enjoy the moment, to be present in your present. That was one of my goals for this year. Still working on it :)

David said...

I understand what you're trying to say, but lotto winners hardly ever wistfully hark back to the days when they dreamed of being rich - or do they?

I know, being published is work not luck, but still.

Jen said...

It's hard, isn't it? Being patient and learning to enjoy where you are, when you are? Wise words today :)

Shopgirl said...

What a wonderful post. I agree with you about living in the present and still have a dream for the future.

Good luck on publishing, I'd read your book!

Terri Tiffany said...

Enjoying the moment!! So true! I do live in 80 degrees, have a spic-and-and span house and have been to Hawaii, but you know what? I'd give anything to be back living in PA, in snow, with my daughter messing up my family room and our vacation is camping in our tent:)

L. T. Host said...

I want to wear flip-flops too!!!

Suzan said...

It's probably much too late to post --- but if you have a moment-- check my blog and my posting about SHOES on Jan. 22nd 2011.
Just saying. . . . .

Plamena Schmidt said...

Great analogy. A lot of writer's who are published point out that we should enjoy every part of the writing journey and it's true.