I just passed my 40th birthday. There are many things I would like to have accomplished by now. But with my aging, maybe I’m also gaining some better perspective as to what’s important.

One thing I had hoped to finish by now was an album/CD for which I had developed a concept well over a year ago (maybe even two?). How much progress have I made on that? Well, I have all the lyrics and a general idea for the whole album, but only recently have been able to get started doing some recording of the scratch tracks.

What I’m learning is that completing the goal may not be as important as working towards the goal. That is, the value is in “the going” and not in “the arriving.” And, as I go, some of the things that capture my time and attention – sometimes seemingly unrelated to my goals – may actually be more important to the bigger picture and even to my goals.

There’s a proverb that says, In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

How we get where we’re going is often much different than we thought, isn’t it?

I used to feel I needed to “pump out a ton of stuff.” Create a lot. Be prolific. Quickly! (Because that’s what leads to “success.”)

Now I’m feeling a little differently. What if that one CD is my “life work?” What if one song is all I have? What if your one book is it? One poem? One sculpture? One photograph? (I’m guessing there’s a whole lot more to our “life work” than what we create. . .)

I’m finding we need to enjoy each step. We need to pour ourselves into each moment, never blowing it off as simply something we must endure to arrive at a distant goal. This allows you and I to take the time to make each step deliberate, worthwhile, and gives us the mindset we need to actually enjoy the “now.”

Fully present. Fully engaged. Every moment.

What’s going on around you - right now - that you can’t see because you’re looking so far ahead?

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PS I see that this is a bit like my last post. . .I guess you know where my head is at, eh?

PPS As I wrote this, I was (literally) also working on a song for my daughter – not a part of the album I mentioned above, but probably more important. Exactly the kind of thing I’m talking about here. (More on the song later. . .)

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I apologize for my lack of posting. The life change from home office to real office has taken some adjusting. Here’s a little something I started on a couple weeks ago.
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I put up a birdfeeder last year. Right in front of my living room window. I can see it from most seated areas of the room. Mostly for finches.

A couple Mondays ago, a holiday here in the USA, I added birdseed to it. The following Tuesday, I asked my wife, Mary Elizabeth, “did you see any birds in the birdfeeder today?”

She looked at me with disbelief and ripped into me commented about how I must think she just sits around all day staring at the birdfeeder and, no, she hasn’t had any time to be lounging around staring at birds.

Back from an early morning run, a bird flying away from the feeder caught my attention.

I thought back to our conversation. It bummed me out that my spouse has no time for birds or staring at birdfeeders.

Maybe life is a little like the birdfeeder. We fill them and fill them, but we never enjoy the reason we fill them. We’re simply too busy.

Seen any birds at your birdfeeder lately?

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