Today Is Just As Good

“Are we there yet?”

“Can I see the map?”

“How much longer?”

Countless questions from the cutest little blondie in the back. Driving for what seemed to him like an eternity, we were on our summer roadtrip from Austin to Chicago and he was done.

“I just want to get there.”

“This is taking too long.”

“This will be better once we get to the hotel.”

Oh my sweet boy, no it won’t. It won’t be any better there than it is here. And I pray I can teach you this lesson while you’re young.

Because “there” is not better than “here”. It’s just a myth most of us have bought into. “I will feel better once…”, “Things will be less stressful when…”, “Once x, y, z takes place, then things will be amazing!” This attitude has robbed so many from the joy of everyday living.

Like my little guy, waiting to be excited until we arrived, I spent most of my life wishing I could hurry and get to this magical place I could call happiness.

Things would be better once I graduated high school.

Nope.

Certainly once I served a mission for my church.

Not quite.

Of course after I graduated college and started my career.

Not then either.

Naturally once I got married.

Haha, no siree.

Once I started having kids of my own.

No.

After we were more financially set.

Hardly.

You get the idea.

I was waiting to reach a special time and place when everything would fit together just right and be like I dreamed it would.

That place wouldn’t be stressful because my relationships would be in perfect harmony, our finances rock solid, kids perfectly obedient, babies and toddlers growing into self sufficient little people, the house clean, my anxiety gone…a magical place that only existed in my mind.

I waited. I dreamed. I anticipated. But that time never came. Then one day, I realized it never would.

This desire to be in another place, the longing to “arrive” so we can be happy is what robs us of our happiness. It steals our peace. All my waiting, hoping, wishing, expecting, kept me trapped in a black hole of misery.

You see, the best time is now. It’s in the present. It’s the moment you’re living today. It’s the experiences happening in the middle of the mess. The waking up to a new day full of opportunity to try again. It’s in the learning.

Discovering that today is just as good as tomorrow, has been one of my greatest breakthroughs. I no longer wish for another day in the distant future. I live for today. I focus my mind in the present. Not the past, not the future. TODAY. Amid the chaos of a husband out of town on business, only 4 hours of sleep, laundry flowing out of the laundry room, dog food spread from one place in the house to another and a house no where near ready to greet my mom who arrives this afternoon, I love today. Not tomorrow when things may or may not be calm. Not this weekend when I’ll finally have time to tackle the housework, but today. Whatever arises, love it. Because today is just as beautiful as tomorrow.