Both Sides Now, May

Emily: Yes! Finally! School is almost out, and summer’s here!
Karen: I know. This has been a longer year than usual.
Emily: That’s because of so much excess homework.
Karen: You didn’t have any more than most kids your age.
Emily: Then I feel sorry for them, too.
Karen: What do you think will be the best thing about next year?
Emily: New people. I’ve heard rumors that there will be a new sixth grade teacher next year.
Karen: I bet you’ll miss your old teacher.
Emily: Yes, I will. She told us stories about her childhood and she really socializes with her students. I wish we could have her next year.
Karen: I know you do. It’s hard to change sometimes.

The end of the school year always gives me a reason to sit back and take stock. What have we accomplished? Where do we want to go? How are we meeting our goals? I sometimes wonder if we wouldn’t be better off just observing where we are rather than always looking ahead to the next item on the agenda.
It’s hard to stay in the moment. I tend to either dissect the past or try to predict the future, and I can easily miss out on what’s going on around me right then. Mindful living is not as easy as it sounds. It takes many gentle reminders to keep yourself from missing out on what’s going on right under your nose. Yes, the kids grow too quickly, but they’re growing right there in front of you. All you have to do is really look at them. Give them your attention. Live today with them.
Abraham Lincoln once said, “The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time.” If God truly doesn’t give us more than we can handle, then we’re simply not meant to handle more than this next twenty-four hours. Let’s turn the verse around: Sufficient unto the day is the good thereof, as well.

Karen: I can’t believe you’ll be in the youth group at church next year.
Emily: Me neither. I don’t know where I’ll sit in the auditorium during the service.
Karen: Anywhere you’d like.
Emily: It’s just because I’ve noticed that all the youth group sits in one section of the auditorium and I don’t really want to.
Karen: You don’t have to. It’s really up to you. Change is never easy. You can take it at your own pace.
Emily: Speaking of sitting, our class at school won the award and we can sit anywhere we want to next Tuesday!
Karen: There you go. Freedom of choice.