Anxious Anticipations

Have you ever been so eager for the future that you forgot to be thankful for the present day?

We anxiously await the weekend, our next vacation, retirement, or some other future event. Maybe we’re eager to start a new chapter in our life because we’ve been frustrated with our caretaking responsibilities.

Those of us who have raised children have felt a similar pull. We looked ahead to their first steps, their school days, their weddings. In all the daily responsibilities, we sometimes wished the kids would “just grow up.” Then they did—and we missed those little ones and their mischievous antics, wishing we could turn back the clock.

Humans have a tendency to complain about the problems and irritations of life. It’s much less natural to appreciate the good things we have—until they’re gone. While it’s fine to look forward to the future, let’s remember to reflect on all of today’s blessings—the large and the small—and appreciate all that we do have.