My daughter can’t wait for summer. My son can’t wait to get his license. I can’t wait for the puppy to stop being a “puppy”, and my husband can’t wait for all of it! Upon reflection, we spend a lot of time waiting.
We can’t wait to get to high school, we can’t wait to drive, we can’t wait to have a girl/boyfriend, we can’t wait to graduate, we can’t wait to go to college, we can’t wait to turn 21, we can’t wait to live on our own, we can’t wait to get married, we can’t wait to have a baby, we can’t wait for the baby to be out of diapers, we can’t wait for the toddler to go to school so we don’t have those daycare payments anymore, we can’t wait until we have more money, we can’t wait until we have more time, and we can’t wait to retire.
We wait to use our good china for something really special, we wait to buy that amazing gift we know they would love until a holiday rolls around, we wait to take that trip with our spouse until the kids are gone, we wait to get a puppy until we are not so busy, we wait to splurge on nice sheets for the bed until the ones we have are ripped and torn, we wait to find a job we really love until we lose the one we have , we wait to call our parents until we have more time, we wait to invite friends over until the house is spotless, and we wait to tell someone how much they mean to us until it’s too late.
We are always waiting for the next milestone, the next big thing that’s going to make our lives better, easier and more exciting. We believe that once we reach that next big thing, we will finally be happy. Sadly, most of us realize too late that true happiness comes from all the little stuff in between all the big “can’t waits”. The unexpected hug my daughter gave me this morning, the sincere thank you my son whispered to me after I had done something for him, the phone call from my husband to check on me, and the puppy licking the tears from my face. We are also waiting on the "right time". Waiting for the perfect circumstances to do "that thing" that we are waiting to do!
Many years ago when my parents’ 40th anniversary was rolling around, my siblings and I talked about throwing them a big party. We kept discussing if we should just “wait” until their 50th anniversary since that was a bigger milestone than 40. Ultimately, we decided that we didn’t want to wait and we had the most amazing surprise anniversary party. We created a wedding reception for them. My mom’s wedding picture was on display, we had a DJ, they danced to their song and we dedicated a song to them from the kids that we all danced to. We had food, a bar, a wedding cake and toasts. The entire family was there and all of their friends from through the years. We made so many memories that night. Within three years of that magical night, my father was diagnosed with cancer and died. Thank God we didn’t wait.
Don’t you wait either. Life is happening today and none of us are promised tomorrow. All that waiting is getting in the way of living. Get out the china, buy yourself new sheets, call your mom, have a party, and tell someone you love them. It can’t wait.
We can’t wait to get to high school, we can’t wait to drive, we can’t wait to have a girl/boyfriend, we can’t wait to graduate, we can’t wait to go to college, we can’t wait to turn 21, we can’t wait to live on our own, we can’t wait to get married, we can’t wait to have a baby, we can’t wait for the baby to be out of diapers, we can’t wait for the toddler to go to school so we don’t have those daycare payments anymore, we can’t wait until we have more money, we can’t wait until we have more time, and we can’t wait to retire.
We wait to use our good china for something really special, we wait to buy that amazing gift we know they would love until a holiday rolls around, we wait to take that trip with our spouse until the kids are gone, we wait to get a puppy until we are not so busy, we wait to splurge on nice sheets for the bed until the ones we have are ripped and torn, we wait to find a job we really love until we lose the one we have , we wait to call our parents until we have more time, we wait to invite friends over until the house is spotless, and we wait to tell someone how much they mean to us until it’s too late.
We are always waiting for the next milestone, the next big thing that’s going to make our lives better, easier and more exciting. We believe that once we reach that next big thing, we will finally be happy. Sadly, most of us realize too late that true happiness comes from all the little stuff in between all the big “can’t waits”. The unexpected hug my daughter gave me this morning, the sincere thank you my son whispered to me after I had done something for him, the phone call from my husband to check on me, and the puppy licking the tears from my face. We are also waiting on the "right time". Waiting for the perfect circumstances to do "that thing" that we are waiting to do!
Many years ago when my parents’ 40th anniversary was rolling around, my siblings and I talked about throwing them a big party. We kept discussing if we should just “wait” until their 50th anniversary since that was a bigger milestone than 40. Ultimately, we decided that we didn’t want to wait and we had the most amazing surprise anniversary party. We created a wedding reception for them. My mom’s wedding picture was on display, we had a DJ, they danced to their song and we dedicated a song to them from the kids that we all danced to. We had food, a bar, a wedding cake and toasts. The entire family was there and all of their friends from through the years. We made so many memories that night. Within three years of that magical night, my father was diagnosed with cancer and died. Thank God we didn’t wait.
Don’t you wait either. Life is happening today and none of us are promised tomorrow. All that waiting is getting in the way of living. Get out the china, buy yourself new sheets, call your mom, have a party, and tell someone you love them. It can’t wait.
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