Life is a strange thing, a series of unmemorable Tuesdays defined by flashes of celebrations we deem to be so important that we must mark them on a calendar: holidays, birthdays, and milestones. Yet, while we countdown the days until our next big thing, life itself is quietly unfolding in the moments we like to overlook.
A podcast I listened to recently framed this phenomenon in a way that really stuck out to me: “When things feel unfamiliar, it just means that we are in the ‘happening’ of life.” It’s only natural for life to bring us through new experiences. But are we ever satisfied with the “happening,” or do we just hope to push through until the next mark on the calendar, to the next goal or holiday we celebrate?
Life often feels like a calendar, measured by the next big event we can circle with colorful pens, counting down the days until we can experience the thing we’ve been hoping for. We tend to find ourselves thinking, “it’ll be okay after I finish my test,” or “I can’t wait until summer,” always trying to justify our current situations with something to look forward to. But what about today? What about cherishing the day when you got caught in the rain walking to English class? Or that random Tuesday afternoon where all you did was study? It’s important to be grateful of these events for what they are, and not as a stepping stool for something more.
It seems that we have become obsessed with the art of the “What’s next?” constantly shifting our focus to the next big prize. When we set our worth on the idea of what’s next, we risk losing sight of the simple pleasures in what’s happening now.
Think about if we flipped the narrative. Instead of seeing each and every day as a countdown to a holiday or a goal, what if we see it as another day to experience the beauty of the present? Happiness doesn’t always have to live in the glamour of a New Year’s Eve, or the aftermath of a large success. It is scattered in the conversations we have over dinner, the sunsets we notice on the way home, and the time we spend with those we love. So I ask you to stop measuring your life in holidays, and start living your life in the “happening.” Because the best moments aren’t waiting for you someday, they are quietly asking for your attention now, in the “happening” of your world.
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