five years

many of you close one's have been asking me about my "next blog"...and its true, i kind of fell off the blog bandwagon, but i didn't know what to say. i usually like to write about something fascinating, or cool that i am thinking about that i would like to share with all of you fine folks...but had nothing, until a magazine and an inspirational article ago. i just finished reading it actually, in reality though....i only read about 4 paragraphs and then i jumped to my feet and said "time to blog!!". here i go.

on november 16th 2006, i went on a vacation of a lifetime. so if you all can do the math with me, my five year mark of visiting europe is coming in less than 60 days. it might sound cheesy. it might sound childish. it might even sound a little too hopeful, but europe was a magical place for me and i have nothing but fond memories. do you remember, a couple blogs back where i talked about being a nomad? well, along with the nomadic spirit...i love to explore. see things for what they are in the sense of culture, history, and rich community. in having the nomadic spirit, i recently have had this deep, deep desire to go back to europe... maybe to stand at the top of the eiffel tower, ride a gondola again in the canals of venice and visit big ben for the first time. it is odd to think that almost five years ago i was exploring all over the place in europe. taking pictures, staring up at architecture that seemed as if it reached the sky, and eating food that showed me what a meal meant in a different country.

then tonight, i was reading an article in a magazine i subscribe to. its nothing fancy, just a health magazine with simple recipes, makeup tips and some new workouts for me to try. as i started to read this article about a women who was diagnosed with leukemia at age 23. she said she started to live differently. i am sure we have all heard a story or two about somebody who was hit with something pretty finite, and it changed their perspective completely, but for some reason this particular story made me start thinking. like i said, in a few (60) days, i will think back to europe as it was five years ago. and in reading this article, she encouraged her readers to think five years in advance. want a happy family? be the mom/dad you want to be and love on your kids like crazy. want to still be crazy about your spouse? go on date nights 2x week and send each other sweet texts/emails during the day. im not saying her words are gold, and she knows how to make every situation turn out to be the best, but what i loved most was her soft and encouraging way of saying:

do what you want. find what matters most. pursue your dreams. love without reservation.

in five years from now, i have no idea where i will be. a hefty paying job might sound nice, but at the end of the day, it will not satisfy. if i get paid all the money in the world, but let life become reactionary instead of proactive, i will lose these next five years. i do not know much about what needs to be "concrete" when i am 27 years old, but i know that i want to be filled to overflowing with memories, gratitude and contentment. if that means another trip to europe, so that i can blog and journal and take pictures about the things that make my heart happy then so be it. if it means having a family, and living on the east coast because i wonder how life is over there, and why not? i only live once.

whatever it is. europe or family or work or church, may my eyes be filled with wonder. but only the wonder that knows each day is a gift and can be given or taken at any moment.