You Never Know
Anyone who has had the good fortune of having children knows that in the noise of simply having children the amazing moments can get lost. When we are planning for the future, we often think in terms of accomplishments, possessions, and whatever else we don’t have now but might have in the future. Of course, one can set goals and focus, marvel at your achievements or grumble at your failures. Then the future arrives and when it does ---take a moment to recognize your good fortune that you arrived at the future and you are……
Standing in the middle of two tennis courts ……
The other day I went to a high school just north of my current residence. I was going to see two of my grandsons play a varsity tennis match against a rival school. This is not the level of play when I was playing tennis in high school --- no, this is high level play as these young men are excellent tennis players. It was a bit chilly as the Bay Area is in the throes of getting rid of winter and welcoming the warmth of spring. Not too surprisingly I was a little late, but my daughter and her husband were there watching the match. As the match carried on I walked down a pathway to get a better view and found myself standing between two tennis courts. Seeing that I had a better perspective, my daughter came to stand beside me and we watched and cheered the success of her two sons. Even more special was the confidence they exhibited in their play. They acknowledged us in their own way which made us both feel noticed and proud.
I turned to my daughter and said….
“When you were in your miserable college dorm room anxious about the results of your last psychology exam did you ever imagine a future where you would be standing here watching your two sons play hi level tennis.” Of course, she had not, but … “look how lucky I am to be here at this moment,” she said.
We dream of moments that may or may not happen and perhaps we even judge ourselves on the results of those dreams. The future is a difficult bench mark to measure our lives because we will never know the future until it arrives. One’s future goal should always be to be present and available for the future because it arrives in ways we cannot predict. If we are present and take a moment to acknowledge that it is here at this present moment it will be a dream come true. No matter what you hope for, it likely will be different but when it is here and you are standing between two tennis courts and your sons and grandsons are playing and succeeding at their future you are living yours …..
It is better than you thought….