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Isn't this a great quotation!

One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.

Dale Carnegie

I'm constantly bouncing between the two - smelling the roses that are blooming in my garden today - but still dreaming of/yearning for "more", though I don't know what that "more" is. I'm constantly shaking off that yearning and diligently getting on with the art of living gracefully in the here and now. But I have to admit that it doesn't always feel like "living in the moment" - it still feels like I'm living for the "more" that's supposedly over the horizon - but pretending that I'm not.

Anyone else feel like that sometimes?

Always, Eagle, especially the "pretending that I'm not"...perfectly said.

Darn tooin' it is 49erDonna. I'm a big fan of Dale Carnegie and what he offers as lessons in life. The hardest time to stay in the moment is when there is conflict...the easiest is when I'm holding or playing with my grandbeauties. Then it is as natural as the air I breathe.

JJ

Oh Eagle I feel like this everyday. I wish I could be content with the here and now but I am always examining my life and feel I could be doing something better. But then I have the moment where I see the Hawk "smell the roses" and settle in and then I am off again trying to fix my life. I'm not sure but I think it might be a result of "struggling to survive" during my childhood........kinda doggie paddling to keep my head above water.....now it is difficult to relax. I actually just wrote a poem about this last week..........

Okay, girls, here's one for debate! I'll go ahead and put myself on the hotseat tonite. So, here goes.

We have been taught that America is the land of the free as well as the land of opportunity and that anything can be ours if we just try hard enough. We have been taught to go for the gusto and to keep up with the Jones's. This, along with a host of other reasons has caused us to suffer from a malady.

In effect, this has created us to have a "contentment deficit". It is very vague by it's nature. It's that little lost feeling inside that makes us think there's more we should be doing or striving for. And, no, we don't even know what it is! It is a contentment deficit! I believe the Bible was addressing this very malady when it said, "whatever state you find yourself in, be ye therefore content".
The Bible also says to "seek and ye will find". So we must seek during the seeking season and be content in the season of contentment. We're all good little seekers...it's been ingrained in us! But we're short on being able to be content!
So, girls, enjoy your seasons of contentment without having to question or second-guess! Enjoy your seasons of seeking!

Enjoy life as it comes. I'm responsible for the minute I'm in...this very moment! I'm going to be happy!
Rose

Rose, I struggle with this allot. I am not sure why. I have been praying for contentment lately but then I am torn because I think I sometimes "perceive" contentment as not accomplishing anything of value or worth and I am not ready yet to "quit". When I look back over my life there are certain "highlites" for me that can ammount to climbing a personal mountain and reaching the summit. Part of my mid-life struggles is deciding which mountain to climb on this what might be my last stretch, last chance. ( I struggle with some health issues) I vacilate from day to day and then end up not getting anything accomplished and get depressed. Yesterday I came across a verse that I thought was speaking to me on this "Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it".....Ps.127. so I felt I had an "ah ha moment" for myself......I need to sit down and write my list of all these things I want to accomplish in what time I have left.......and pick the one that will involve allowing the "Lord" to build it and my ego and wants and needs stepping aside. Whether I do this remains to be seen as I am human and the bills come in and my strong human ego will find a way to rationalize doing something different, but there you have it. I welcome any mentoring or advice from you ladies of faith. Thank you for allowing me to be transparent.

I think so much of this has to do with the expectations of ourselves and our loved ones. Why do we expect so much of ourselves? Is it a gender issue?

I think it's gender and generational. We are raised to be the caregiver, to give of ourselves, to be unselfish and think of others first. When the kids grow up, leave home, etc. the caregiver has nobody to care for. Sure, maybe hubby/partner, but it's not the same. It's hard to switch gears sometimes and take care of ourselves. And we sometimes have lost sight of what we ourselves really need to stay whole and healthy. We owe it to ourselves to nurture us. Each of us needs something different, and at this time of our lives we tend to become more introspective, which I think is a good thing. After spending the first half of our lives taking care of everyone else, the second half should be spent taking care of us. If we don't do it, who will? And we deserve it - if we don't take care of ourselves (physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually) we are no use to anyone. Just my two cents.

Riptide by Val
Riptide struggle
gasping for breath
MY LIFE.
Caught.
Trapped.
Drowning in MY LIFE.
Not now thanks too busy
trying to keep my head
above water.
How have you been?
I've been busy
with MY LIFE.
Exhausted
from thrashing
I float
and look up
and see
The Light
and breathe.
Calm waters warm
move me along
shoreline
and in Perfect Time
gently wash
up in a Perfect Place.

Val2006