Have you ever found yourself saying when I achieve A, B or C then I will be happy? As a mom or parent, maybe that sounds something more like this;
- “When my kids are out of diapers…”
- “When my kids are all sleeping in their own bed all night…”
- “When all my kids are in school…”
- “When my kids can drive themselves places…”
- “When I can just make enough money to pay for this…”
- Etc…
Whatever you’re imagining is the light at the other side of tunnel. What you can’t see beyond that light is the next “tunnel” or thing you will be working towards or wishing for.
I recently read a Facebook post that quoted Alfred D. Souza. He said;
For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin – real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, or a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.
As the mother in a young family, I am guilty of thinking if we could just have enough money to not budget, then life will be easy. If we could just have enough time to not be stressed trying to fit everything in then I would be happier. I am definitely guilty of longing for days of independent kids, a time mommy is not constantly needed for every task of little ones. However, I see people at that stage longing for the old days or still wishing for a further stage. My point being, if you don’t choose to be happy right now, right in this moment, you never will be.
When my first son was born and life was not as busy, I was looking for things to fill our time and for sports to be a part of. I longed for the day he’d be old enough to play baseball. Now with 5 kids and one on the way, we are so busy sometimes that I long for the day they can drive themselves to their practices, or a way to be in 5 places at once!
I don’t want to miss this time, this moment thinking about happiness, or dreaming of future happiness because the truth is- if I don’t choose happiness in this moment, I will never find it. Choose happiness right where you’re at. Whether you’re at home and sometimes bored with one precious baby or running all over town with 6. Whether your kids are little, or all grown up and gone. Embrace right where you’re at. Find the joy in each day and each moment. Choose happiness.
In our social media driven world it’s easy to want want want and compare and have F.O.M.O. (fear of missing out ;)). Don’t worry about anyone else or what anyone else is doing. Have fun and be happy where you’re at. It’s something so important to learn as soon as possible and something I have always tried to teach my kids. It is a lesson that is becoming harder and harder to learn in a world where you can literally see what everyone is doing. It’s easy to let that be an excuse- but instead, choose to be truly happy and encouraging of others and choose take joy in right where YOU are at. Choose Happiness
“Life’s not about waiting for the storm to pass…It’s about learning to dance in the rain!”
-Vivian Greene
-Vivian Greene
-Katelyn
Such a beautiful piece!! Thanks for the reminder ?
Funny thing about this post is, I wrote and still needed that reminder today 😉 Praise God!
Great post. I needed this.
This is perfect!
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