Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

“Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” I always answer with the same thing – a published author. That is where I see myself. Well, at least part of where I see myself. Oh sure, I want the big house, the dreamy vacations, and all those other fun things.. but I have an ever bigger idea.

But first - Where do I see myself today? I could talk about how we have more people than bedrooms in the house. How my son has outgrown the backseat of my tiny truck. My son gets allergies so bad he is nearly bedridden twice a year. Or how I’m still struggling through full time University while working full time and running a blog and editing my novel, etc etc etc. but that’s not how I see myself at all. I see myself with a house, a good house. I see myself with a truck that I know will run when I turn it on in the morning. It even has reverse (yep, drove a car without reverse for 6 months when I was 27!) My kids are healthy, save for seasonal allergies (which are not life threatening). I am lucky enough to have a job, a good job that I absolutely love (with a desk and a lamp!) I am very lucky enough to be one semester away from my bachelor’s degree.  My novels never leave me, even when I don’t have time to devote to them..they never leave me.

See, I have lived on all ends of the luxury spectrum. I have lived in a homeless shelter with a 2 month old baby. I have eaten nothing but biscuits for more time than I can count. Then again, I have had cash to toss out and take a vacation without saving. I have bought grand gifts for Christmas. I have also been too poor to afford Christmas cards, let alone any gifts. I have had the most amazing friends a woman could dream of. I have lost friends to the cancer beast. I have lost friends because of other reasons I won’t get into. I have fallen in love so hard I got dizzy. I have had my heart shattered into so many fragments I was sure I would never recover. I have barely passed my way through high school. I have excelled my way through college.

The thing I have learned is that life happens to us no matter how hard we plan. 17 year old me would be shocked at what all we haven’t accomplished yet. 17 year old me would also be shocked at what all we have accomplished so far. Life is going to happen whether you plan for the good or the bad. You don’t get to choose those things. What you do get to choose is appreciating the daily things that you have. You have every right to relish the things you have right this minute. Sure, you can wish for more things and bigger things – but don’t forget to appreciate the things of today because tomorrow you could have so much less.

So where do I see myself in 5 years? Wherever the universe wants me to be.  Each day has a purpose and I won’t waste today trying to get to tomorrow. Tomorrow will come regardless. 

4 comments:

  1. "life happens to us no matter how hard we plan" -- YES. I find that the surest way to have things go awry is to plan. :P So I kind of just take it as it comes now and things generally work out.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Taking it as it comes is such a great way to go. Life can really surprise us when it takes us in a direction we never expected.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Such a wonderful attitude. I tend to forget to appreciate the now. Thank you for the reminder.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh we all forget sometimes. Just jump back on the unicorn and keep riding.You might have to slay a few dragons here and there. But also, there is so much beauty on the way to the castle.

    ReplyDelete