When You Go Chasing Waterfalls
Randy and I took our weekly hike yesterday. Nothing too strenuous. Just a 4-mile hike with the promise of a 40-foot waterfall at the end. Who doesn't love a good waterfall!
The thing you probably already know about California is that it doesn't rain here. Not since early April anyway. So, while I was expecting Niagara Falls...
what I actually got was Dripping Springs.
This entire rock wall should have been flooded with water, but instead it was occupied by slippery moss and a few remaining puddles. And lots of mosquitoes.
Isn't that the way life is? You expect one thing, but reality ends up being something completely different.
I doubt that many of us have the life we imagined... the relationships, the careers, the white picket fences. I doubt any of us have spouses who always meet our needs exactly how we expect them to. I doubt we have many -- if any! -- days that go exactly according to plan. And I don't know anyone with 2.5 children.
Sometimes reality ends up being way better than you could have ever imagined. And other times reality comes up short. The thing I find really interesting is that even when reality is better than our expectations, we can have a hard time enjoying it because it still isn't how we imagined it to be.
It is precisely in those moments, when our expectations aren't met, that we have a very important decision to make. We can let our unmet expectations ruin our reality, or we can choose to embrace what is.
But here's a little secret that I've learned. Being content regardless of our circumstances is SO MUCH EASIER when we intentionally set out with hearts full of gratitude. Making this choice BEFOREHAND, to enjoy the journey regardless of the outcome, allows us to see the best in every situation. Deciding ahead of time to live and love and learn from and enjoy the hidden surprises waiting around every corner is how you truly live.
While Randy and I sat next to a puddle, being bitten by mosquitoes, we talked about how beautiful the hike had been. How nice and quiet this spot was (imagine how loud a 40-foot waterfall would have been!). How solitary. And how peaceful was the sound of trickling water. I thanked him for finding joy in this moment and he thanked me for keeping things fun and fresh.
Am I going to stop chasing waterfalls because they might turn out to be mosquito-ridden puddles? Absolutely not. I'm still going to chase waterfalls and other beautiful destinations, but I'm also going to intentionally find joy in exactly how life turns out.
The thing you probably already know about California is that it doesn't rain here. Not since early April anyway. So, while I was expecting Niagara Falls...
what I actually got was Dripping Springs.
This entire rock wall should have been flooded with water, but instead it was occupied by slippery moss and a few remaining puddles. And lots of mosquitoes.
Isn't that the way life is? You expect one thing, but reality ends up being something completely different.
I doubt that many of us have the life we imagined... the relationships, the careers, the white picket fences. I doubt any of us have spouses who always meet our needs exactly how we expect them to. I doubt we have many -- if any! -- days that go exactly according to plan. And I don't know anyone with 2.5 children.
Sometimes reality ends up being way better than you could have ever imagined. And other times reality comes up short. The thing I find really interesting is that even when reality is better than our expectations, we can have a hard time enjoying it because it still isn't how we imagined it to be.
It is precisely in those moments, when our expectations aren't met, that we have a very important decision to make. We can let our unmet expectations ruin our reality, or we can choose to embrace what is.
But here's a little secret that I've learned. Being content regardless of our circumstances is SO MUCH EASIER when we intentionally set out with hearts full of gratitude. Making this choice BEFOREHAND, to enjoy the journey regardless of the outcome, allows us to see the best in every situation. Deciding ahead of time to live and love and learn from and enjoy the hidden surprises waiting around every corner is how you truly live.
While Randy and I sat next to a puddle, being bitten by mosquitoes, we talked about how beautiful the hike had been. How nice and quiet this spot was (imagine how loud a 40-foot waterfall would have been!). How solitary. And how peaceful was the sound of trickling water. I thanked him for finding joy in this moment and he thanked me for keeping things fun and fresh.
Am I going to stop chasing waterfalls because they might turn out to be mosquito-ridden puddles? Absolutely not. I'm still going to chase waterfalls and other beautiful destinations, but I'm also going to intentionally find joy in exactly how life turns out.
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