Living in the Now

For as long as I can remember, there has been this rusty old pickup truck (I'm trying to find the symbolism between me and rusty old trucks) sitting beside this shed on Highway 99. I have admired it and have told myself time and time again that "one of these days" I am going to stop and snap a few pictures of it.


Last week, as I was driving home from work and approaching the shed, I glanced to my right as I have hundreds of times before. My heart instantly sank as I discovered that the truck...was gone. As it was the next day, and the day after that, and the day after that, and even to this day. Gone.


In front of the shed is a "for lease" sign, so I can only assume that the truck...isn't coming back.


This truck had settled into the scenery on my drive. It was something I glanced at every day. Every day. It was something I looked forward to seeing. It was routine... It was familiar... And now it was gone.


I always have my camera with me. Why had I never stopped in the 8 years that I've been driving that stretch of Highway? What were my excuses? Twice a day, five days a week. 8 years. I had plenty of opportunities, but never "found" the time.


As I've sat back and wondered this past week, I've also wrestled with the important parts of my life which hold opportunities, but I never find the time for. Or the priorities in my life that are so far out of order. The people that surround me. Do I take the time? Do I make the time?

Thinking about this has been a pretty dramatic reality check for me. Why is it that the things in my life, and the people in my life seem to frequently take the back burner? How is it that the ones that we cherish the most, the ones that matter the most sometimes fade into the distance? Why do I say, "I'll call you tomorrow" and never follow through with my promise?

I often find myself failing miserably at taking advantage of the "now" moments. The opportunities that are staring me in the face and I turn from.

Life is short. Life is fragile. And lives are a blessing.

I have some catching up to do!