GETTING IT DONE

I RECENTLY HAPPENED UPON A STORY FROM A GENERAL CONFERENCE TALK SEVERAL YEARS PAST. IT SPOKE ABOUT A MOTHER WHO REFLECTS BACK ONCE HER KIDS ARE GROWN AND WITH A NAGGING REGRET STATES,

"I WISH I HAD ENJOYED THE DOING A LITTLE MORE, AND THE GETTING IT DONE A LITTLE LESS."

SHE MENTIONS HOW SHE WAS ALWAYS PLANNING AND AWAITING THE NEXT ITEM TO CHECK OFF THE TO DO LIST, RATHER THAN LIVING IN THE MOMENT.

THIS IDEA ROUSES ME NOW EVEN MORESO THAN THE FIRST TIME I HEARD IT. ADULT LIFE- EVEN YOUNG ADULT LIFE (AKA ME)- CHALLENGES THIS IDEA CONSTANTLY. MY LIFE NOW IS SO FILLED WITH SIGNIFICANT DATES- DEADLINES AND DUE DATES THAT ADD PRESSURE AND STRESS. THESE EVENTS IN LIFE CAUSE ME TO LOOK FORWARD, TO DREAM OF THE TIME AFTER THAT EVENT WHEN I'LL FINALLY BE ABLE TO... 

(YOU FILL IN THE BLANK)

REST, ENJOY, TAKE DOWN THE CHRISTMAS TREE (YIKES!), RELAX, PLAY, ETC.

BUT LIFE GETS AWAY FROM ME WHEN I LIVE LIKE THAT. I LOOK ANXIOUSLY FORWARD EVERY DAY TO THAT 2:00 HOUR WHEN I'M FINALLY DONE TEACHING. EVERY DAY IT COMES, AND EVEN THOUGH RELIEF COMES WITH IT, ADDED HAPPINESS DOES NOT. I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE TIMES WHEN I ENJOY WHAT I'M DOING THE MOMENT I'M DOING IT. THIS HAPPENS WHEN I LOOK IN THE EYES OF MY STUDENTS, WHEN I PRAY FOR LOVE FOR THEM, WHEN I LISTEN TO THE MUSIC THAT WE'RE DANCING TO. THERE IS MUCH TO BE ENJOYED HERE. THERE IS SO MUCH TO BE ENJOYED NOW.

I LOVE THE DAILY CHALLENGE THAT LIFE IS. AND RIGHT NOW, IT IS A CHALLENGE AT IT'S FINEST. MY BODY IS CHANGING, IT FEELS DIFFERENT THAN IT EVER HAS. I WANT THIS BABY TO COME, I WANNA MEET HER, AND YET I'M STILL THREE LONG MONTHS AWAY FROM THAT HAPPENING. I'M INCONCEIVABLY BUSY AT THE STUDIO, CLEANING SOLOS, RUNNING DANCES, PICKING UP COSTUMES, RHINESTONING PICTURE FRAMES, AND ANSWERING PARENT QUESTIONS ALL DAY LONG. I'M WORKING FAR MORE THAN FULL TIME- MORE THAN I'VE EVER WORKED IN MY LIFE- WHILE NEARLY 7 MONTHS PREGNANT. AND EVERY NIGHT MY HEART YEARNS TO CLEAN, AND ORGANIZE, AND HOMEMAKE- I MAKE BRILLIANT PLANS TO TACKLE THOSE TASKS TOMORROW AND INEVITABLY RUN OUT OF TIME AND ENERGY.

LAST NIGHT I LAID IN BED AND CRIED. I FELT SO UNPREPARED TO HAVE TO FACE ANOTHER DAY. I WAS EXHAUSTED- PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, AND EMOTIONALLY. AND I KNOW DARN WELL THIS RACE ISN'T CLOSE TO OVER.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? I WOKE UP THIS MORNING AND FELT AGAIN APPRECIATIVE OF ONE OF GOD'S KINDEST GIFTS TO US ON THIS EARTH: A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP.

SLEEP IS SO HEALING, SO REJUVENATED- THE DAILY RENEWAL.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE? TODAY WAS GREAT. EVEN IN THE MOMENT. I ENJOYED EACH CLASS THAT I TAUGHT, NOT JUST THIS TIME WHEN I COULD FINALLY SIT DOWN AND REST A SECOND.

I REMEMBER HEARING FROM THE CHURCH-FAMOUS JOHN BYTHEWAY AT A FIRESIDE IN COLLEGE. HE TALKED ABOUT MARRIAGE AND GAVE WHAT I THOUGHT THEN TO BE A VERY HARD TO SWALLOW PIECE OF ADVICE. HE SAID:

"IF YOU ARE NOT HAPPY NOW WHILE YOU ARE SINGLE, YOU WILL NOT BE HAPPY WHEN MARRIED."

AT FIRST I THOUGHT THIS CONCEPT WAS IMPOSSIBLE. NO WAY. MY ROMANTIC HEART WOULD NOT BELIEVE IT. BUT AS THAT INSIGHT STEWED INSIDE ME OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS OF MY SINGLE LIFE I LEARNED ITS TRUTH.

HAPPINESS IS A CHOICE.

CIRCUMSTANCES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS DON'T MAKE HAPPINESS- DECISIONS DO.

HAPPINESS IS IN YOUR HANDS. TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT.

THIS IS PROBABLY MY MOST FAVORITE CHALLENGE IN LIFE. THE BATTLE I FIND MOST WORTH FIGHTING FOR. MY DAD ALWAYS SAID THAT I CAME OUT WITH A SMILE ON MY FACE, AND YOU BET IT'LL STAY THAT WAY TILL I LEAVE.

I'M GONNA VOW TO ENJOY THE DOING A LITTLE MORE, AND THE GETTING IT DONE A LITTLE LESS.