If I Could Write A Letter To Me

10.08.2014

If I could write a letter to the person I become in ten years, I would start it by telling my thirty-five year old self to slow down. I've always been the type of girl who is ready to embark on the next chapter of my life. I couldn't wait to turn sixteen so I could finally drive, I couldn't wait to graduate high school and go to college, I couldn't wait to fall in love with the man of my dreams and get married, I couldn't wait to purchase our first home, and now I can't wait to start a family of our own. I'm always waiting anxiously for the next big thing to happen. 

I don't know what all the hurry is about. I feel as though I've barely blinked an eye and I've gone from high school senior to married life. It all happened so fast. And while I don't regret a minute of my past, I sometimes feel as though I didn't appreciate where I was in my life at any given time. I spent four years at an amazing university, watched our college football team win two national championships, pledged a sorority where I met two of my best friends, and spent six months living in New York, the greatest city in the world! Life was (and still is) pretty amazing. Then, before that chapter of my life even closed, I was introduced to the man that would later become my best friend, soul mate, and husband. I feel as though I was just flirting with that guy across the bar one night after a kickball game, and here we are just a little over two years later, married and living a fabulous life as newlyweds. Seriously, where did the time go? 
We hadn't even received our wedding pictures back from the photographer and I was already anxiously dreaming about the day that we would start a family together and become parents. I've lived my whole life that way. Waiting for the next chapter of the book to start when I haven't even finished filling the pages of the previous chapter. 

It's something that I'm constantly working on. Slowing things down and enjoying everything that I've been blessed with today. Stop waiting for the future to happen and start focusing on the present. Truth be told, however, I'm not sure if I'll ever fully be able to stop focusing on the "what comes next" out of life. It's who I've always been and what I've always done. Sometimes though, I just need a gentle reminder to slow down and appreciate everything life has given me today.
So ten years from now, when I'm busy preparing school lunches and scheduling after school activities, preparing my children for the next chapter in his/her life, it would be the perfect moment to open up a letter from my twenty-five year old self. A letter reminding me to stop and look around at everything in my life right now. To stop rushing through the hours of the day, waiting for the next big event. 

To slow down. Slow down and enjoy this chapter of the book. Don't just scan the pages so you can move on to the next chapter. You're only given one life to live. Don't rush it. 


Linking up with Helene and Taylor 
 photo morgansignature_zpsc3f5971d.png

11 comments:

  1. It's so hard sometimes to stop and just appreciate the moment of life we're in RIGHT NOW, so this is so great! And once you do have kids, they're going to be going off to college before you know it! Life just needs to slow.down. Seriously.

    Brianna
    xobriannaleigh.com

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  2. Reading this reminded me of something I wrote and a quote that has described my life for the past 5+ years: "I don't usually like thinking about the future. I mean, let's face it, you can't predict what's going to happen. But sometimes, the thing you didn't expect is what you really wanted after all. Maybe the best thing to do is just stop trying to figure out where you're going, and enjoy where you're at.” - Scrubs

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  3. Amen. I have been struggling with this lately (always) I am SO guilty of wishing away time...wanting to skip over this to get to what is next. One of my favorite quotes is "don't wish away your life. You are exactly where you are supposed to be" I can't even remember where it is from..but it sits in my cube as a constant reminder that God has me where I am for a reason! I daily remind myself to live fully in each day and to embrace the present. Thanks for this post--it's nice to know I'm not alone in this!

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  4. I can so appreciate this letter yourself. I'm slightly opposite from you in that I dread that next chapter because that means I'm getting older. Getting older freaks me out haha and I'm really trying to work on that. At the same time, I find myself always rushing/ wishing for the next thing... rushing for the next day, the next weekend, the next event, etc. I always try to remind myself that I'll never get this very moment back, to try and enjoy them all. Even Mondays!

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  5. I'm the exact same, except almost worse. I couldn't wait to get engaged so I could start planning the wedding I had already planned. I got engaged, and I started dreaming about houses. We started looking at houses and I started dreaming about babies. I'm always one step ahead of myself, which is stupid because I don't get to really enjoy what I'm currently doing.

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  6. Gosh girl I swear we could be twins. I am constantly having to remind myself to not plan out my life and let things happen. I need to remember to let go of control sometimes and live in the moment. It's something that I tried to remind myself daily!

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  7. This is AWESOME advice and just what I needed to hear, even if it's in the form of a letter to yourself in 10 years. :)

    Love that wedding photo, by the way!!!

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  8. YESSS! I am also always rushing...I blame it on Pinterest lol

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  9. Love this, so so true! It's something I've been thinking about a lot too- slowing down, making time for the things that MATTER (:

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  10. I'm just like you. I just got engaged and now I can't wait to get married...we need to calm down ;)

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  11. I LOVE this letter. I'm a senior in high school and I feel I've been waiting to graduate since the first day of freshman year. I really need to learn how to slow down.

    xx,
    Katie Petty
    theparisianwannabe.blogspot.com

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