Seize the Day – Count the Moments

Carpe Diem – Seize the Day.

The past is to learn from, the future is to look forward too, but the present is where we live. 

I look back through different time periods of my life and can see that there were times when I worked extremely hard to get things done, the sense of accomplishment when you actually finish a task and get to see the completed work is a wonderful feeling.

I also have periods of wandering around, trying to find my next path.  If I don’t stop and really think about those periods in my life it seems like a lot of wasted time just reading, walking, watching television, or wondering.  Although, there were some wasted days, there were many more that were used to try to get a handle on which way to go and what project or task to tackle next. 

I know in my life, sometimes I have to take time to just wander.  It’s in those moments when I am wandering that I find enlightenment, my creativity and then later, my next path.  J. R. R. Tolkien said, “Not all who wander are lost.”  I firmly believe and identify with that.  Sometimes I need to wander a bit to find my way.

Looking back there is another interesting thing I found from time to time on this journey.  There were times when I simply waited to do something because I was waiting for approval.  I have tried to justify that, but basically that is what happened in several places in my life, what’s more is I found that there were times that if I did not get the approval or validation from someone, then I quit and never pursued that interest.  Now, that’s just silly isn’t it? 

I can say that now, much later, I look back and think, “Wow that is so sad because I really wanted to do that.”  The question becomes, did I want to do it?  I must not have wanted it very much because I just quit and never pursued it. 

I was taught from an early age to seek approval.  My parents then would “help” me by telling me everything that could, would, should, go wrong, any reasons why I should not pursue the interest and whether or not they approved, usually with a “do what you want to do, but I’m not sure I would.”

I realize that this sort of method does actually work well for some people, but it has never really worked for me.  So, I have had to learn to approach new interests and projects from a different perspective – one that is entirely on my own shoulders and that has been intimidating, but interesting too.

It is amazing how much progress you can make when you get out of your own way and know that the only person that really has to approve, is you. 

Cherry Coley ©

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