I didn't write most of this, but I felt like it belonged on my page. I see so many people these days who don't seem to be able to stop and enjoy themselves. The world has pressed upon their shoulders too many demands, too many responsibilities, too many problems. Time goes by so fast, we all know it, one day you're 18 full of vigor and enthusiasm, and the next you're 55 wondering where the hell all the time went and why are you so tired all the time? John Lennon said it best: "Life happens to you while you're off making other plans." I ran across the following on the net and thought I'd share it here to remind everyone to stop and smell the roses every now and again. Savor life while you have it, live each day as if it were your last, and someday you'll have a lot to look back on.
We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content when they are. After that we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage. We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice vacation, when we retire.
The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when? Your life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway.
One of my favorite quotes comes from Alfred D. Souza. He said: "For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life."
This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way.So, treasure every moment that you have. And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time...and remember that time waits for no one.
So stop waiting until - you finish school, until you go back to school, until you lose ten pounds, until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids, until your kids leave the house, until you start work, until you retire, until you get married, until you get divorced, until Friday night, until Sunday morning, until you get a new car or home, until your car or home is paid off, until spring, until summer, until fall, until winter, until you are off welfare, until the first or fifteenth, until your song comes on, until you've had a drink, until you've sobered up, until you die - to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy. Happiness is a journey not a destination.