I want to share a short poem with you that I first heard Luci Swindoll quote. I wish she could read it to you. She makes these simple words come to life. As you read it, combine the cadence of Maya Angelou and the heart of your favorite aunt, and you’ll be close to hearing it how I first did. It’s stuck with me, and I find it to be relevant in new ways each time I return to it. I’ve read it many times at this point, and its message has taken root in my heart.
Even as we celebrate the road behind us, and reach for what will someday be, let’s not be distracted from the beautiful life we’re living today.
It was Spring, but it was Summer I wanted:
The warm days and the great outdoors…
It was Summer, but it was Fall I wanted:
The colorful leaves and the cool, dry air…
It was Fall, but it was Winter I wanted:
The beautiful snow and the joy of the holiday season…
It was Winter, but it was Spring I wanted:
The warmth and the blossoming of nature…
I was a child, and it was adulthood I wanted:
The freedom and the respect…
I was 20, but it was 30 I wanted:
To be mature and sophisticated…
I was middle-aged, but it was 20 I wanted:
The youth and the free spirit…
I was retired, but it was middle-aged I wanted:
The presence of mind without limitations…
My life was over, and I never got what I wanted.
Can we make a promise to ourselves that we won’t become that person? Yes, there are reasons to long for what’s ahead and behind us, but let’s look just as hard for reasons to accept and embrace our present circumstance. Even as we reach for tomorrow, let’s make friends with TODAY.
Let’s treat it as if we got exactly what we wanted.
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I had a serious health issue in March of this year where I nearly woke up in heaven. It took that experience to stop living in the future. Do I still plan for my future? Yes. Do I have contentment in each day? For the most part I do…what can I say I’m work in progress. :-) Every day is a gift and I want to live it to it’s fullest. My philosphy has become those of Henry David Thoreau “I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately, I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, To put to rout all that was not life and not when I had come to die discover that I had not lived.”
By the way Chance, I’ve heard Luci recite this poem. I could hear her in my mind as I read it. I love that woman’s wisdom. Thanks for sharing.
I plan on reading this everyday so I don’t forget to live in each day.
Thank you
Sweet deal, Mr. Scoggins! Your kick the pants, an invite to another awesome blogger and poetry. I sometimes think a poem can be just as powerful as a lecture. Even tho I loved how they used the metaphor of a moment being as long as a season, years even. I find I just can’t make your promise.
It is not that I am not fascinated with the now. I mean I know everything is alive and real to me as I live it. And any psychologist will tell you how much energy a person must expend to be able to resist motion. It is not that I don’t have faith in my life, but just the opposite, it is because I do….I was raised on faith and I do believe in the intangible, unseeable phenomena in life. It is what keeps me in my dusty race : ) But a promise is not something I take lightly and I have thought about this all morning. I am extremely grateful for all that I have and for all I have been given and this may sound a wee bit selfish but it’s like I would be telling myself I have to accept everything I am dished out and be happy with it. I just don’t know if I can do that.
If now affects the nows that follow, so when I get now right, everything has a better chance of falling into place. I will never be able to see everything that is affecting me. So shouldn’t I plan now for what I can’t see? I mean wouldn’t we want our moments to be touching, moving and joyful.. so that we can make that moment an eternal now?
… it’s like I would be telling myself I have to accept everything I am dished out and be happy with it…
Michele, THANKS for your comments. I’m not sure if you’ve read many of my posts or not, but you and I have common ground in that thought. 90% of what I write is in effort to get people to NOT simply accept with what they’re dished out. I am CONSTANTLY on the lookout for tomorrow, and I’m always reaching for more. Depending on our motivation, not only is that not selfish, it’s just good stewardship of the life and time we’ve been granted.
Where you and I might be reading this poem differently is this… To me, it’s not saying ‘Take what you get and like it’. It’s saying ‘find contentment in the present because if you don’t practice contentment, you won’t be content even when you’ve gotten what you wished for”. I can’t wait for life to unfold, and I’m so excited for things I hope are on my horizon, but I want to see what’s beautiful about this present day, even as I reach for what’s next.
You agree?
Yes, I totally agree! And I did get that point also from the poetry, just not with the promise. I also think finding those moments of contentment are sometimes quite hard, you almost have to take a serious loaf, feet up and all to actually find those moments. I no sooner will feel completely happy with who I am, what I have, and where I am at, when something happens to change that. Sometimes it changes for the better but most times it doesn’t and steals those moments from me. Ah-ha another theme to this poetry…the more we practice finding those moments of contentment the easier and more often we will find we have them :) Hope you had a great weekend and I always read your posts!
:)
There is so much wisdom in this poem. I’ve retweeted it. I hope I remember to act on it, and live it out in my life. Thank you for sharing it.
I hope I do too. Thanks for the RT and for commenting. :)
This is one of those needed reminders/challenges that I could use about every week. Thanks for clear, meaningful messages, Chance.
I’m with you. This changes my attitude every time I read it… but sadly, not permanently.
I didn’t know you’re reading, Chris. What an honor – thank you so much. :)