stop waiting

yesterday i rode past a car with a bumper sticker that said "life is not a dress rehearsal." i didn't think much of it at the time, other than, "i bet their other bumper sticker is the ubiquitous 'tolerance' [comprised of various religious symbols] sticker." (which of course, it was. can you say predictable?)

today in spin class though, i felt overwhelmed by the realization that i do live life like it is a rehearsal for the "next thing." i am constantly envisioning what the next stage of life will bring and how things will be different (i.e. better). i recall selecting the name of our blog in hopes of being regularly reminded of my intention to live in the here-and-now. i guess this is to be an ongoing struggle for me, but for some reason, that purple bumper sticker wedged itself in my unconcious and forced me to face this reality today. ah, bumper stickers, changing the world one car at a time!

after class i stumbled upon this quote and it resonated with these thoughts i have rumbling around in my mind about being present:

the real struggle is about you: you, a person who has to learn to live in the real world. to inhabit her own skin, to know her own heart, to stop waiting for her life to begin. -caroline knapp 

my lovely bleeding hearts, just outside our front door.

one of the things on my "one day" list had always been to have bleeding heart flowers in my own yard. last fall i planted this one and have been taking extra-special care of it. (don't tell my other flowers.) it is lovely to have one of my favorite flowers greet me each time i come home. me and my bleeding heart love the sight of these bleeding hearts.