I believe in enjoying life. I believe in living in the moment.

We have been given

only one life to live, and we need to live it to the fullest. I believe that the
purpose of life is not only to fulfill God’s purpose for us, but also find joy
along the journey that we have been given.

Despite my belief in finding joy, I have had trouble enjoying things and living in
the moment. Struggling with anxiety and depression, I sometimes have a hard time
enjoying things with spinning thoughts and worries, and find myself reminiscing
about the past.

That bold green pine tree that towers high and lets the scent of fresh pine fall
around you brings me memories of summer fishing in Canada. It reminds me of
chatting with my dad and brother out in the boat with the breeze from the island
softly blowing through our hair. Then, I think to myself, “I miss that moment.
Maybe I should have enjoyed it more.” I was thinking about other thoughts and
worrying about other concerns instead of the real task at hand: to catch fish, more
importantly, to relax and have fun.

I do not want to have to think that I should have enjoyed that moment more. I do
not want to have to think that I should have enjoyed yesterday more. Yesterday will
be gone. When it is all said and done, I do not want to have to think that I should
have enjoyed my life more.

I do not mean that we should let go of every concern and abandon hard work. There
needs to be a balance. It is not reasonable to forget responsibilities and forget
about success; however, it is not worth reaching success without having any fun
along the way. Worry is natural, but sometimes it can get in the way. Duke
Ellington once said, “There are two kinds of worries – those you can do something
about and those you can’t. Don’t spend any time on the latter.”

I have learned many techniques to divert my anxiety and worry, but these skills can
always be improved. I have learned to spend less time on the latter worries that
nothing can be done about. I have learned to let go, but sometimes still have
trouble. I need to live in the moment, and I am learning along the way, learning
how to find more happiness and joy within my life.

Let go, live in the moment, and enjoy the gift of life. This I believe.