I recently went out on a great road trip with a few of my co-workers (who I actually love) out to Harpers Ferry and Shepherdstown, WV on—get this—a GHOST TOUR. I was scared to death during the whole ordeal, but we also went shopping, walked around and saw the sights, and caught up on a lot of girl talk. I loved the time away, but it all reminded me of just how important to truly be in the moment and enjoy the moments of each day.
Now, I hardly go on any trip without Kandy Red (yes, my Macbook has a name to match its nice red cover). Even while I’m out on vacation, I check my email constantly for writing assignments, edits, and other requests. I’m normally still brainstorming and creating new content, even though I’m technically supposed to be on break. With freelancing, you almost can’t afford to break. At least I can’t yet.
So I really did consider packing up my laptop for this trip, even though it was literally only an overnight stay. But something told me, “No. Enjoy this time. The work will be there when you get back.” And I went on the trip and had a great time without worrying one bit about writing. I was able to fully enjoy my experience because I wasn’t distracted by other things. I was truly in the moment.
Today, we live in a world surrounded by technology, and we completely immerse ourselves in it all. We stay bingewatching shows (I just started TV Land’s Younger with Sutton Foster and Hilary Duff). We’re always typing on computers, laptops, tablets or phones. We shove our headphones in to listen to music and block out our surroundings as we walk or work. Let’s be real. If we don’t have our phones, it’s almost a full blown crisis. On the rare moments I leave mine behind at home, I forget and still reach out for it several times. Then, for special moments, we all feel the need to record and take pictures of EVERYTHING at every moment.
I wonder, though, how many good moments we miss or don’t fully experience because we’re caught up in all of these things? Don’t get me wrong. It’s nice to be able to look back on certain memories that we shot on our phones, but how much better would it be if we didn’t have to record every little thing? If we could just enjoy that moment right then without worrying about if the lighting is right or if someone’s head got caught in the shot?
If I had taken my laptop on this trip, or checked my email on my phone worrying about my writing, I would’ve definitely missed out on some good conversations with my co-workers. I wouldn’t have been as focused on creating good memories and just having a nice time. I’m learning now to really enjoy each fun moment that I have, especially when I’m spending time with people that I care about. I don’t want to take away from these special times worrying about what all I need to get done, or getting the most pictures and videos to share on social media later. Work and whatever else will always be there. The special moments spent with the ones you love won’t.
Imperfectly,
Imperfectly B 