Of Future Thinking

The start of the school year for my kids this week has me remembering the excitement and nerves that come with starting new schedules and meeting new people. There is something just a little bit magical about starting a new school year, don't you think? You get a clean slate, but you also get to dream a little about where you want to be at the end of the year. I always loved the start of new things – especially the part that involved looking into, and planning for, the future. When I was in college, looking forward to what real life had to offer, I found myself getting a little carried away.

It was that transition time between being an older kid and becoming an actual adult out on my own. I could see glimpses of what was to come — creating a life of my own — and there were so many possibilities! I was starting to see some of those dreams and puzzle pieces come together, and I wanted more.

I had the desire to move forward into the future as quickly as I could. Up ahead, I could see the glimmer of possibility, peeking out from the fog of my dreams. So close, and yet, so far. However, the closer I got to touching those shiny pieces, the more concerned I became that I might be missing the beauty of now along the way.

As it was great to see those shiny future pieces ahead of me, I found it easier and easier to quickly shimmy through what was happening now, with the hope that I could reach the future sooner. I stopped seeing what was around me. My hyper-focus on the future left me some major blind spots for the current moments, and when I realized this, I wrote.

"The Fog" acts as a reminder to myself of this lesson learned. It reminds me how important it is to remember that I am living life right now. I can’t live in a time that hasn’t happened yet, and I can’t live in a time I have already lived. The only time I am fully able to live is right now, and right now is beautifully magical all on its own.

As you read this, remember:

Now is the only time you've got. Don't waste all of your now by hyper-focusing on the future. Don’t miss the opportunity and the beautiful magic of right now.

The Fog

As she squints through the fog,
She continues her jog.
She sees,
She doesn’t.
She sees,
She doesn’t.
The fog flickers quickly,
Like movies, so quickly.
She sees,
She doesn’t.
She sees,
She doesn’t.
Her heart, beating, races
As these flickers she chases.
She sees,
She doesn’t.
She sees,
She doesn’t.
She reaches for something,
Then something is nothing.
She sees,
She doesn’t.
She sees,
She doesn’t.
She can’t seem to catch it,
Her pace doesn’t match it.
She sees,
She doesn’t.
She sees,
She doesn’t.
The fog starts to clear.
She finds that she’s here.
The future is past —
It flew by so fast.
The end is now here —
In the present.

© Katrina J Smith