I find myself saying these words over and over again, but I never have anything to follow it up. In the morning, literally within 5 minutes of waking up, I’m thinking to myself “I can’t wait.” I think this comes from too much anticipation of the next moment and not living in the moment enough. I sometimes feel like I wish my life away. I blame this on my parents. Wait, wait, I’m not being a bad daughter but when we were in Alaska I noticed that my mom was always thinking of the next step, and sometimes losing out on the current activity. For instance if we had just arrived back at the room to rest a little bit, mom was thinking about leaving to get dinner or picking up my niece. This most likely comes from raising 3 children and always having to have everything planned out. So really I’m not criticizing, I’m just realizing why I’m always in anticipation of something else.
My family also was always hours early to any event. For instance if we had to be somewhere by 9:15 a.m., and it was a 45 minute drive, we would leave at 7:30 a.m. Which meant growing up spending a lot of time in the car waiting. I probably started my “I Can’t Wait Syndrome” there, sitting in the car, waiting to get out of it and being bored.
- Beautiful Django
So I’ve decided that I need to concentrate on redirecting my brain away from this phrase. That I need to live more in the moment and less on what may or may not happen in the future. Purely in a literal life and knitting life conception, not in a spiritual aspect. But I need to be content with what is happening now and not be so caught up in wishing my life away.
With knitting I need to not worry about deadlines or dates, and just enjoy the prospect. I find myself constantly crunching numbers mathematically to determine when I may finish a project. I’m going to focus on stopping that habit and simply enjoy the process. That being said the bedspread on size US 1 needles, may be a 41st wedding anniversary present and not the 40th. But I’m okay with that.
Fortunately my sister’s afghan for her 25th is going spledidly and will in fact be done for the 25th. But then if it wasn’t, that would be okay too, after all we are still waiting on our wedding present. hee hee. My sister and brother-in-law were going to build us an entertainment system for our wedding present, we’ve been married 13 years this fall. hee hee, but Kat really, we don’t need it and I’m just teasing you. Maybe for my 25th anniversary, you can knit me an afghan. Love you big sister.
Actually I was just thinking about your anniversary present and decided to make you a quilt. Since you told me what you’re making for me, I suppose it’s alright to tell you what I’m making for you.
About the planning ahead thing. I do the same thing. When I get to an amusement park I take the map and get all excited planning where we have to go and what we can’t miss. I drive my family crazy because I tend to get really hyper at that point.
When it comes to hand made things sometimes though the thinking ahead makes the project worth while. Maybe not the worrying about whether it will get done on time, but how happy it will make the recipient feel when they receive it. I’ve found that if I’m trying to make something for profit, it ceases to become enjoyable and just becomes work; and I make gobs of mistakes (I think I sabotage myself).
Okay, so there was my soapbox of the day. I’ve got to get back to using my blog, so I don’t take up enormous amounts of space with my comments on your blog.
toodles,
Kat
Comment by Kat — April 28, 2009 @ 11:03 pm |
It’s hard to transition to living in the moment after growing up in an early oriented family.
I still get anxious about being late… 5 minutes.
Comment by Chris — April 28, 2009 @ 11:08 pm |
Its truly difficult! My friends used to drive me crazy when they were even
10 minutes late to a party. I eventually did learn about parties that
nothing started for at least an hour, but boy, the rest of life learning to
live int he moment I haven’t even come close to mastering yet. But I don’t
want to be like my mom when I’m in my 60s, I love her, but I want to enjoy
life.
Rebekah
Comment by rebekahsyarn — April 28, 2009 @ 11:37 pm |
I’m the same way – I’m constantly thinking about the next weekend, the next season, the next project. I’m trying really hard to live in the moment, but it is hard!
Comment by Jeanne — April 29, 2009 @ 12:59 am |
Rick does that. He’s always anticipating the next thing and is always very early to anything. I tell our friends to make sure they give him a later starting time.
It’s hard to get him to stop and enjoy the moment. I could do better myself but sometimes it’s hard.
Comment by Sydney — April 29, 2009 @ 4:08 am |
We’re pretty sure Mom has adult A.D.D.
Comment by Kat — April 29, 2009 @ 12:57 pm |
He, he, I just remembered how she started your wedding early. I think that she’s always been sure that our grooms would back out if we didn’t get the weddings over fast, then she’d have been stuck with us forever.:-)
Comment by Kat — April 29, 2009 @ 12:59 pm |
Rebekah- Easier said than done, but the fact is, we only have today, yesterday is history. So, enjoy the moment and the process.
Remember Ferris Bueller said “life moves fast, you need to stop and look around once in a while”-
Comment by Lorraine — April 29, 2009 @ 2:19 pm |
Oh, see the beauty of knitting a bedspread on size one needles – you give it to the recipient EACH year until it’s finished. (Obviously, they have to give it back to you to finish each time.) Saves from having to come up with something better – because each year it’s bigger and better than last!
Comment by Cathi — April 29, 2009 @ 3:40 pm |
He is really beautiful! This is such a good picture.
I saw the summer VK in Barnes and Noble today … maybe it would arrive soon in your area.
Comment by Agnes — April 30, 2009 @ 3:30 am |
I kind of like that I can’t wait feeling. Reminds me of being an enthusiastic kid. Time to grow up?
Comment by Life's a stitch — May 2, 2009 @ 3:05 am |
Wonderful picture.
I’ve found a few minutes of daily meditation is really good for learning to live in the moment and appreciate things. That being said, I’m still the type of person who, like your parents, is chronically early. But we’ve learned to take those few minutes to just be for a few minutes.
Comment by Alison — May 4, 2009 @ 11:44 am |
I think its a wondeful ability to look forward! Beautiful dog btw.
Comment by Mrs MJW — May 4, 2009 @ 7:46 pm |
Ah, but we really only have TOMORROW to do it right. Too late for yesterday and today is happening. Can you tell I plan my life away too? Even during vacations I’m planning and anticipating (some people incorrectly name this ‘worrying’) so I tend to really enjoy things most in retrospect when it’s all turned out well!
Hmm. A quilt or an entertainment center. Hard to choose.
Comment by Carrie K — May 6, 2009 @ 7:13 pm |
You are a hero to do a bedspread on US 1s! I have a cross stitch that I gave my mom for Christmas one year. Then I took it home to get it framed and that was about 8 years ago. I know this because she just asked me to bring it over so she can get it framed.
Comment by Sonya — May 6, 2009 @ 11:53 pm |
Wow! What a post and so many comments. At the end of yoga class, you find a restful position and relax for a few minutes. One of my teachers used to say “allow yourself to be in this moment”, meaning just relaxing and not thinking about what you have to pick up at the store on the way home (which, unfortunately, was what I was thinking at the end of class this week).
My husband is the one who is always planning the next big thing – whether it is just a weekend or a canoe trip or the trip we’re taking to Boston in October. I’m much more laid back. I guess it takes both kinds, right?
Comment by Christy — May 8, 2009 @ 9:26 pm |
He is GORGEOUS!
Comment by Samantha — May 8, 2009 @ 10:30 pm |
What a handsome pup! I can’t wait to see the anniversary afghan and now a quilt! I think it’s a real challenge to live in the moment and just BE. Especially with so many things to do these days.
Comment by Robin — May 10, 2009 @ 3:50 pm |
Jango looks super soft in that picture.
Comment by Sarah Katie — May 17, 2009 @ 1:21 pm |