“My life was over, and I never got what I wanted.”
This verse touched me deeply from the poem “Present Tense” by Jason Lehman.
—
It was spring, but it was summer I wanted,
The warm days, and the great outdoors.
It was summer, but it was fall I wanted,
The colorful leaves, and the cool, dry air.
It was fall, but it was winter I wanted,
The beautiful snow, and the joy of the holiday season.
It was winter, but it was spring I wanted,
The warmth and the blossoming of nature.
I was a child, but it was adulthood I wanted,
The freedom and respect.
I was 20, but it was 30 I wanted,
To be mature, and sophisticated.
I was middle-aged, but it was 20 I wanted,
The youth and the free spirit.
I was retired, but it was middle-age I wanted,
The presence of mind without limitations.
My life was over, and I never got what I wanted.
– Jason Lehman.
—
The present is all we have.
It took me a long time to realize this.
I often fell into the trap of thinking that focusing on the past will help me avoid the mistakes I’ve made.
With this approach, I was experiencing regret and I felt powerless because I could not change it.
I’ve learned that only when I accepted my mistakes and decided to do better I started reducing them.
I also fell into the trap that focusing mostly on the future will help me reach my goal of having a fulfilled life.
With this approach, I was missing the moments I actually had to live my life.
I’ve learned that while it is crucial to have a vision, fixating on it sent me a message that my present was somehow not enough. I was living in the hope that only the future can be better.
Now I’ve learned that the present is what we have. If I want to have a fulfilled life, I should make the best out of what I already have. If I want to reach my goals, I should start taking steps in the present. Which is all I actually have.
“My life was over, and I never got what I wanted.” – I refuse for this to be true for me.
How does this poem speak to you?
If you have questions or you’d like to schedule a complimentary session on how you can be more intentional about living in the present, and lead a more balanced, fulfilled and happier life, please email us at coach@maximizeu.life. Thanks
