I have often wondered which is more fun and fascinating…anticipation of something wonderful, or the wonderful event itself. This is certainly the time of year where many of us are counting down the sleeps to the great event of Christmas Day. For those of us that do celebrate this day every year, it comes with weeks, and in some cases months of planning…the anticipation of the day, who will be part of the day and the many expected events of the day…the before meal times, the during a special meal time, and the after meal time sharings of that day. All that anticipation built up over the weeks and heightened during the last few days…and then it happens…..Christmas Day….it comes and it goes. So which is the actual most fun??
I cannot say for all, but I know a huge part of the Holidays lies in the preparations of making Christmas day itself a wonderful all inclusive event. From the tiniest of planning….ribbons on the gifts to the setting of the dinner table, or to the music in the background or to the hours of the meal preparation and the just so perfect gift for that special someone that you have been anxious to see him/her open in front of you. The build up is as great as the special day itself. It made me wonder about our life and the many times we anticipated something great happening. We were enjoying, even loving, the days, weeks and months ahead of the event, almost as much as we would enjoy and love the event itself. Is that not what we can be doing each and every day of our lives, without attaching anticipation to an event, just to life itself? What if we lived each day as though the greatest day of our lives was just ahead? The truth is, it is!!
We don’t have yesterday any more…as great or as challenging as it may have been. We don’t have tomorrow. We cannot live it, experience it and use the day to serve us or we to serve the day…it’s not in our hands yet. We only have today so what if we anticipated each day from a full awareness of what we want to make of each day; from a place of observing our actions generated by our thoughts…..and what if we were kind with ourselves and showed ourselves patience in learning, understanding and applying? Would that add to our anticipation of what is to come? I have to think so. We have all read and heard the saying that life is not about the destination but about the journey. Anticipation keeps us excited, eager, willing, believing in what is to come. Anticipation is the journey. Whether we are 4 years old and counting the 2 sleeps till Santa comes, or an adult with many sleeps till a special event is scheduled to happen…..we are anxious for the day. Yet I believe if we can FEEL that same anticipatory excitement about something…. yet fully unknown, and have faith that it will be what we are creating each day, and moving towards, then our whole lives can be lived with feelings of awe for what we are knowingly creating and is waiting for us.
Really enjoyed your post. I remember the days when I was a kid. So much fun and anticipation. We just “live it, and love it”.
Thank you Sam. Scratching days off of calendars was so much fun!