A couple of weeks ago my family took a trip to New York City as our last getaway before school started. While visiting SoHo as a part of our NYC experience, my wife’s attention was caught by a unique street vendor selling journals. My daughter, the artistic one of the family, became infatuated with the uniqueness of the journal pages and what this former journalist photographer crafted his journals with. Soon, my 6-year-old was walking off with a new journal and nothing but blank pages ready to be filled with her creativity.
The rest of the trip, every time we sat to take a break or soak in another amazing part of NYC, my daughter’s journal would make an appearance and the experiences seen through her 6-year-old mind would make their way onto these pages. Scenery of Central Park, her favorite place to satisfy her sweet tooth, the breathtaking views of the Statue of Liberty, a timeless tea party experience with Mom, and so much more. She even let her brother join in and draw his own view of what NYC meant to him.
The excitement my daughter and son felt being able to bring their memories to life through this journal was one of my highlights of the trip. It reminded me of the importance of taking in not only the magnificence of the moment, but also the importance of reflecting back on what we’ve been blessed to experience.
So many of us, including myself, are focused on what’s next. I love thinking about what opportunities lie ahead but the moment right now brings on its own importance, its own reason to stop and remember, its own reason to be thankful for. For the moments now were at one time the moments we were dreaming of for the future.
I’m learning more and more as ambition and drive continue to manifest, our focus becomes consumed with what’s ahead. The road is leading to something bigger, brighter, better so our eyes become fixated on the path to the future.
While I’m a big believer in keeping eyes on how we’re striving for a better tomorrow, I’m also learning the road in the rearview mirror is something special in itself. It’s the path that’s led us to today and while there have certainly been memories of struggle, there have also been those memories that make you see the beauty in life. The ones that in their simplest form make you smile and realize how thankful and blessed we can be.
Embracing yourself today and striving better for tomorrow is a balancing act of giving thanks and appreciation for what brought you to today while also understanding there’s opportunity for a better you tomorrow. Count those blessings, remember those beautiful moments in life, capture the incredible journey, and then set your sights on something even better for tomorrow.
Take your step: we all take in and reflect on our journey in a variety of ways. Take a few minutes this week to reconnect with a memorable time period of your journey. It may be through pictures on your phone, social media posts from a trip taken awhile back, a song you recall from your youth, or just simply sitting with friends or family reminiscing on some incredible memories. Take the time to remember the beauty of the past as you set your sights forward on the beauty of the future.