Being present

I've gone through many times in my life where I wish time would "hurry up". 

My wish never came true, and my patience didn't grow any stronger through those times, and as I look back on those times, I wish I had savored life.  I know I did to some extent, but I want to go deeper. When I thought that I was in the trenches, I wish I had remembered the beautiful things when I was there more than remembering the hard things. Even with my kids, certain stages seem to last long, and I find myself wishing those stages would "hurry up". I can see in my life how many times I try to "hurry up" things. Friendships I want but aren't meant to be, life lessons that seem hard to learn, and winter days that the kids fight a lot, those are all things that I've wished would "hurry up".

I want to be different.
I want to be present.
To live totally in the now.
To cherish the friends that I have. They're some of the most beautiful people ever, and I love them. A friend left me a message maybe close to a month ago, and it was so encouraging, so sincere. It may sound funny, but I play it probably once a week, just to remind myself that I have some of the most beautiful people with sincere hearts in my life. Whether it's watching our daughters play dress-up with their princess dresses on backwards and mismatched high heels, or spending an entire night on the phone so we can catch up and talk deep, I am blessed.

Lately I've been resisting the urge to run and get the camera when my kids are being cute, because I don't want to miss a minute. I want their smiling faces and little giggles burned into my brain, every second of it. Maybe I'll regret it, that I don't have those little material snippets, one day. But for right now, for this moment, it's how it's going to be.
Being present, finding the beautiful things no matter how small or insignificant they seem, they're there, we just have to look closely.
Try it.
Guarantee you'll find some.