Sometimes we are so focused on our destination that we fail to enjoy the journey.
I love long rides. Plane rides. Train rides. Car rides. I know they can be excruciating, but I love them because I get to do what I don't do as often as I'd like; I get to sleep. That, to me, is enjoying the journey... (Grad school problems) I'm in the midst of completing my Master's degree. Although my degree is completed predominantly online, every 10 weeks I have to drive approximately 3 hours away from home to sit through 3 day-long lectures at my school.
Unfortunately, when these godforsaken bimonthly weekend residencies come along, I don't have the luxury of sleeping through the ride when I have to drive. Alone. Usually I don't mind it. The long drives give me a chance to reflect and think and pray and sing. (because I am that girl who sings at the top of her lungs while driving)
This time was different though. Have you ever had such a long To-Do list, and just begin to get anxious about everything and nothing at all? That was me last Thursday night. My anxious thoughts consumed me. Never enjoying more than a week break between the completion of one class and the commencement of the next class, my mind raced about all I had to do this weekend...amongst other things, of course. Sometimes I exhaust myself just thinking about my To-Do list without even having started it! So after almost an hour into my journey, in attempt to stay awake and in attempt to drown out my anxious thoughts (I wish I could sound super spiritual and say I prayed, but that would be a lie), I blasted the radio and on comes my lifelong crush:
"Voy a reír, Voy a bailar, vivir mi vida la la la la la. Voy a reír, voy a gozar, vivir mi vida la la la la la" Oh Marc Anthony, for those 3 minutes you got me dancing and made me relax. "I'm going to laugh, I'm going to dance, I'm going to enjoy and live my life." Ummm thanks for snapping me back to reality.
After salsa'ing in my seat (that's a new word- just go with it), I started to do what my father often does. As kids we hated it, but now I find that when I am not sleeping through a ride, I am doing the very same thing I hated -- I'm changing the station a million times because I refuse to hear any talking between songs.
I ended up having a full on one-woman karaoke session in my car:
"Because I'm HAPPYYYY...clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth!" (Is it just me or does this song really make you HAPPY!?!)
"We could have had it alllllllll, rollin' in the deeeeeeeppppp." (If only I actually sounded like Adele... Let's just say I am glad I was riding solo while singing this one!)
"Meee aaand Mrs. Mrs. Jones. Mrs. Jones. Mrs. Jones. We got a thingggg going onnnnn... But it's much too strong to let it go nowww." (Oldie, but a goodie. I swear I was born in the wrong decade...they don't make music like they used to.)
"Ghetto Superstar...that is what you are...coming from afar...reaching for the stars...run away with me...to another place" (It was a Thursday and the radio got the throwback memo..I hadn't heard this song in a while!)
"I'll never know- How much it cost- To see my sin- Upon that cross..." (Because New Jersey has better service for Christian radio stations than New York... why is that?)
"Porque Dios te hizo tan bella, eres pura, eres un estrella. Te amo demasiado...quiero a mi lado...purpura de mi alma...agua de mi vidaaaaaa" (There's NOTHING better than a good ol' classic salsa song. Nothing.)
"I feel so lucky. Hey Hey Hey. You wanna hug me. Hey Hey Hey. What rhymes with hug me? Hey Hey Hey." (I mean, really? Some lyrics are made to just brighten your mood)
I really just took you through last Thursday's playlist haha..I can't believe I actually typed out the lyrics to these songs, but I definitely enjoyed singing while typing... almost as much as I enjoyed singing while driving. (Ok, get to the point Yasmine. Get to the point.)
The Point: How often do you allow your mind, cluttered by contemplation, to affect your moods and emotions? How often do we miss out on enjoying the little things in life because we are so preoccupied with thoughts about a past we cannot change or a future we have little control over? All we end up doing is sabatoging our present.
How often are you chatting on your phone or scrolling through your social media newsfeeds instead of spending time with your kids or your spouse? Don't miss out! How often do you record what's going on at a concert or show, and don't experience the fullness of the moment? Don't miss out! How often do you end up on Facebook in class, and miss out on an opportunity to really learn something new? Don't miss out! How often do you have the music on and not really hear the lyrics? Don't miss out!
How often are you chatting on your phone or scrolling through your social media newsfeeds instead of spending time with your kids or your spouse? Don't miss out! How often do you record what's going on at a concert or show, and don't experience the fullness of the moment? Don't miss out! How often do you end up on Facebook in class, and miss out on an opportunity to really learn something new? Don't miss out! How often do you have the music on and not really hear the lyrics? Don't miss out!
Go ahead...Stop and smell the roses people!
Reclaim your thoughts, and change the station in your mind!
"8 ...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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