As most of you know, this past week my wife lost her father due to brain cancer. The week surrounding his death was a blur. So much to get done, so many people to see, others to hug and talk with. As I look back on last week, it was great to see the impact my father-in-law had upon so many people. The stories shared at his funeral and around the house were the kinds that stir something deep within you. Make you strive to be better. To influence so many people for good as he did.
Now that the immediate tasks surrounding his death are over, life begins to set in again. Although I hope that it sets in differently this time. My plan is to live life more intentionally from here forward. To start, I am adopting a phrase from my mother-in-law. Several weeks before my father-in-law’s passing, my wife was talking with her mother about all the things that could happen as dad’s cancer spread and the care that would entail. What if this happens? What if that happens? And so on. Her mother’s response to these questions; honey, don’t borrow trouble.
Don’t borrow trouble. There are many times where we get caught up in the overwhelming future of things. The unknown dominates our thoughts. We ruminate on the things we can not control or are unable to address. I am not saying that planning ahead is a bad thing to do. But obsessing about the planning is.
In my mother-in-laws case, she was simply focusing on the tasks right in front of her and making the most of every moment with her husband. To worry about the future could have caused her to miss some of the present. Besides, the future was beyond her control at that time anyway. She wisely chose to live in the moment; tomorrow has enough worries of its own.
Where do you borrow trouble in your life? Where do you get so caught up in the planning of the future and all its tasks that you miss the moments going on right in front of you? Let’s begin a dialogue about this perspective. What has helped you live in the moment? What has helped you enjoy the blessings life has to offer right now? Feel free to email me or post a comment.
This week, slow down and enjoy the cool evenings with your family. Sit outside at sunset and watch the colors change in the sky. Wrestle with your kids in the front yard. Play catch. Go for a walk with your spouse. And while you do any or all of these things, don’t borrow trouble, you miss what’s right in front of you.
