Tag Archives: Anticipation

Jul 16 2013
7 Comments
Family, Home, Life, Teaching

Squeezing Every Last Drop Out of Summer

I really can’t complain. I’ve had a nice break. Six weeks when everything is said and done. Still, as the days tick to a close, and work pops up a little this week and next and then back for good the following, I can’t help but cling to every second. Time is such a strange thing, stretching and doubling and speeding along then coming to a halt in the face of anticipation.

I want to make the next two weeks last forever but am also excited for what’s to come… My 30th birthday, 30 new little people, a fall full of weddings and family and friends, the changing leaves and holidays… It’s easy to get ahead of myself, but thinking of all the joyous moments that await helps to ease the separation anxiety from my beloved summer.

Any suggestions for making these final moments of freedom count?

Love & Gratitude

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Apr 03 2012
1 Comment
Travel

Anticipation…

Anticipation is a funny piece of happiness.
Lately, when I am feeling the most stressed in my classroom, I’ve just closed my eyes and reminded myself that summer is just two months away.  For the briefest second, I allow my thoughts to slip off to everything that summer holds.  Pool parties, warm evenings, time to write.  I remind myself that I get to go to Kauai, too.  Then I smile, and I’m fine again.
Anticipation is pretty wonderful.
I remember being a kid and marking my happiness by what I had to look forward to.  It was always a letdown when my short-windowed calendar ran out of good stuff in the foreseeable future.  Thankfully, that’s the coolest part of being an adult– I can always find something to add to my calendar, even if it’s just making time to go out with friends or planning a weekend escape.
We’re pushed to believe that anticipation is not as valuable as being present in the moment, but if it makes us happy, what difference does it make?  Can’t we find happiness in the moment by thinking about the future?  Our large frontal lobes exist for a reason.  We’re planners by nature.  According to one study, we actually derive great happiness from planning a trip, (eight weeks worth!).

As such, I think it is okay to revel in the excitement of what is to come.  Why not take pleasure in this simple act?


Tonight, I’m letting myself savor the thought of a warm Hawaiian beach, a cold Piña Colada, and the soft sand between my toes.

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