But as the end of senior year approaches, I feel like life has been thrown into full throttle. This chapter of my life is winding down and there's no turning back. The days left of college are numbered and I am struggling to focus on the present, as the future lies near on the horizon.
I recently watched a talk given by author Annie Downs. She is wise and I admire her raw honestly and genuine ability to relate to her audience. She talked about waiting for the future so much that we fail to realize the gift of the present. That night her words struck me in an uncomfortable way. I teared up as I heard her say this statement, convicted and sad that I haven't been living life like this recently- "We need to live in a chronic state of "THIS is the good life." This is the good life. What if this is the best God has for you today? Today, it is the best he has for you." She continued by saying "Live today, live tomorrow, live next week like 'THIS is the good life'"
She has a point. And a good one, at that. The good life is the present. The good life is right now.
The good life is today.
The good life is playing "Just Dance" in a crowded room full of friends. It's long walks down familiar sidewalks, sitting on the front porch until the sun goes down. The good life is belly laughs and conversations around a table at Chick-fil-a. It is hammocks on the back porch, laughing with roommates instead of studying. The good life is weekends in the mountains, slow mornings, driving with the windows down. The good life is community, celebrating with friends, and new adventures. The good life is spending too many hours on the couch watching movies, rainy days with no agenda, and abundant sunshine.
The good life is a glimpse of eternal life. The good life is all around me.
Exciting things are approaching- graduation, summer in Atlanta, and moving Colorado in August (pinch me!). But those times will come sooner than expected, and I know I will quickly ache for the things that I'll leave behind with college. The future hold more good things that I can ever imagine. But when you look ahead, you miss out on what is happening right in front of you. And what a tragedy it would be to look back and realize that I missed out on a good life- the good life- because I was too busy looking forward.
Here's to today, and a good life.
The good life.
"So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you:
Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and
walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God
does for you is the best thing you can do for him." -
