Middle Steps

Here is what I know about life from my 24 years of inexperience: Life will throw you curve balls.

I find that I am constantly trying to map out my life. I start something new at work and immediately I'm imagining everything falling perfectly into place in record time. I start dating someone and immediately I'm getting attached and imagining our future. I think of a new hobby and immediately I picture myself as an expert.

Obviously these things don't work out or I would have the perfect job, be married, and be an amazing guitar player/baker/runner. The problem is that I miss all the middle steps. I'm so busy trying to make it to the finish line that I forget to enjoy the middle moments and embrace them. I feel like I'm one of those people who would miss my entire engagement because I was so focused on the wedding day.

How do we learn to live in the moment and enjoy?? (seriously, I'm asking! I sure don't know!).

I realized recently that if I keep living for the future instead of the now, I'm missing out. Especially since the future never quite turns out the way we plan it. Life throws us unexpected curve balls that we just were not prepared for. I'm trying to live in the present so that the curve balls aren't curve balls, there just natural changes of course. I think it's easier to take each day in a stride that way. Anyway, this is just a mumbo-jumbo of thoughts but it's been weighing on my mind a bit. Why am I so focused on the next step? I'm learning to live life again.

ps - I think this calls for a donald miller book (don't you think jenny?!)