The Days Can Become the Years

Most days begin with things that need to be done.

There is work, bills to pay, errands to run, appointments to keep, people who need something, and responsibilities that simply cannot be ignored. One day moves into the next, and before long another week has passed.

There is nothing unusual about this. It’s simply how life is lived.

We take care of what needs our attention. Things that are less urgent are pushed to tomorrow. Plans we once intended to pursue remain plans. People we care about may hear from us less often. Something we used to enjoy becomes something we haven't done in years.

Meanwhile, life goes on.

Children grow older. Parents grow older. Friendships change. Careers move forward or come to an end. Financial circumstances change. Our own interests and priorities may be different from what they were ten or twenty years ago.

Yet, our daily routine can continue almost automatically.

There’s a certain comfort in routine. It gives life structure and helps us meet our responsibilities. But routine can also consume more of our time than we realize. Being busy can feel like moving forward even when much of that movement is simply keeping us standing still.

Years are not usually lost all at once. They pass by one day at a time.

Being better prepared for the future while we're living can mean more than having our affairs in order. It can also mean being aware of how are we spending our time today for the future.

The responsibilities will always be there. The bills will always need to be paid. There will always be something that needs attention.

But somewhere among all those obligations is the life of possibility. The possibility of wanting something more from life that’s ahead.