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.