After Nap

What's your concept of the future? I don't mean your goals and aspirations. I'm talking about how you mentally represent the future when you think about getting something done.

I'm a daily list maker who ends up with various scraps of paper that I delight in checking off and tossing in the garbage when the list is complete. Of course, there are those days when the "to dos" don't get "tah done" and I merge todays with tomorrow's or yesterdays.

For weekly, monthly, yearly events, appointments and various other tasks that have to be done, I use a calendar. It was only after I retired five years ago that I learned how to use a pencil with my calendar instead of a pen. Much less messy when things change - and there's always something changing.

All this living in the future does have it's downside. I often forget to be in the moment. Fortunately two blessings bring me back to the now.

Photography, for one, requires me to be present when I'm looking through the view finder. The blink of an eye, turn of a head, a background that shouldn't be memorialized along with the subject - these are all things which require me to be in the moment - and I love it. As I look back over my photos, I also get to relive those moments when I was truly present.

The second blessing is my grandchildren. When I'm caring for them, I have to be in the moment. They demand it! Whether it's throwing rocks in my pond, playing with the kitty, eating snacks, or putting a puzzle together - I'm not thinking about what I have to get done or lists that need to be checked off; I'm really just there.

I haven't yet figured out a way to reprogram myself so I'm more 'present' the rest of the time, but my grandson, Micah - philosopher that he is, gave me a hint the other day that's worth considering. Kendall came to pick him up and we hadn't had a chance to go outside and blow bubbles.

"Blow bubbles," Micah pleaded.

"The next time you come, Micah, we can blow bubbles," I responded thinking I should put it on a list so I wouldn't forget.

"After nap," he said with a satisfied look on his face. Kendall explained to me that this is Micah's concept of the future. Anything that will happen later is always "after nap."

I've been admiring his thinking ever since. So beautiful and simple. No paper, pen, pencil or eraser needed. Why worry about lists and calendars and the future when it will all get done - after nap.