I read an article by author, professor and theologian Don Whitney that listed 31 questions to consider for a new year. I decided that I will answer each question. Here is question 29, and my answer.
1. If those who know you best gave you one piece of advice, what would they say? Would they be right? What will you do about it? I think those who know me best would encourage me to enjoy the moment, rather than worrying too much about the future. I can become overwhelmed by where I want to be, what I want my children to become, how I want to grow professionally to such an extent that I fail to enjoy the present. I find that I do not enjoy spending time with my kids as I should because I worry too much over character traits that I would like to grow or fix in them. I can forget to enjoy the here and now because I am thinking about the future too much. I am sure my closest friends would give me the advice that every parent has received: “Enjoy them while they are young, because in a blink of an eye, they’ll be all grown up and out of your house.” There is such truth in that advice. It is true for how I deal with my kids, and it’s true for how I should live my life generally. There is obvious value in planning and preparing for the future. But, if it becomes all-consuming (as it often becomes with me), then it is unhealthy. So, here’s to stopping and smelling the roses. Here’s to enjoying that spilled milk in the kitchen. Here’s too embracing that Kool-Aid stain on the carpet. Here’s to sitting down to let my daughter “make my dinner” from her play kitchen and shooting pucks at my son’s end-table goalie net.
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