Always in a rush

People are always in a rush. The traffic light doesn't stay green long enough, and you're running late. The lady at the counter is searching every crevice of her purse for exact change, and you're running late. The man in front of you is talking on one phone and emailing on another, and you're impatiently waiting behind him because you're running late. Rarely do people live in the present these days. It's always rush rush rush, prepare for the future.

Growing up, it seemed that each year in school we were always taught the curriculum for the next year. It never seemed that anyone ever prepared us for the here and now, it was always for the future. In 3rd grade, we learned what the 4th graders were learning, so that we'd be prepared for 4th grade, but when we actually reached 4th grade, we learned what the 5th graders were learning and so on. Well, maybe it didn't work that way for everyone, but that's what my education consisted of.

I love holidays. I really do. I've always been that gal that wants to be the girlfriend/fiancee/wife/mom that has the house decorated, the themed food and serving items and just go to town. I love July 4th, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Valentine's Day, St Patrick's Day, Easter, Memorial & Labor Day and any other reason to celebrate, make cool things to eat and display them in themed ware. But after a trip to Target I was sad. It wasn't even Halloween yet and Christmas decorations were already beginning to slowly show up. It was shortly after Halloween that I noticed a local radio station began playing Christmas music on the radio during the weekends, Starbucks started serving their Christmas/Winter flavors at least 2 if not 3 weeks ago and it isn't even Thanksgiving yet. Thanksgiving, one of the most important and underrated holidays, seems to be forgotten more and more each year because the retail world wants to capitalize on the insane amounts of money they collect during Christmas. It makes me sad. Too often we rush through life to get to the next step that we forget to enjoy the here and now. I think it's time we all sit down and enjoy life in the present, stop worrying about the future and really be thankful for what we do have. The future will come, and sure we'll be prepared, but there's no sense in getting your Christmas decorations if you haven't even gone Trick or Treating!