Life in a day

(Podcast version)
Could it be that in life, many of us are making the same mistake? We are looking at the end result and forgetting about the pace. The pace is to enjoy and live the fullest day possible and to be happy and to be good and to do the right thing. Are we all looking at the trees and forgetting about the smell, and texture of the wood?

In today's world - with the stress of striving to be high up on the property ladder and having to earn enough or to achieve enough or to have been educated enough or promoted enough, or rich enough having met somebody else's targets at the age of 35 - aren't we forgetting to live a little and experience and just be?

Growing up in South Africa as a boy cub scout, it was always important to get as many badges as possible. There was a badge for all boy cub scout type endeavours; a badge for lighting the best campfire, a badge for been able to tread water for five minutes fully clothed, and a badge for surviving a weekend in the bush with little or no resources. The most memorable badge I tried to earn was the Pace Badge. A set distance around the neighbourhood was measured out - and budding badge apprentices had to cover the course by sticking to a consistant formulated pace: twenty steps, alternating between walking and jogging. If one stuck to the formula, he'd complete the course at a prescribed time - and be awarded the badge. If one deviated from the formula he'd either be too quick but more likely he'd be too slow. It was a badge I never got, I always thought about the end time, and cheated my paces, trying to predict if I was too far ahead, or too far behind. I never ever just followed the prescribed formula.

Yes, we should always have a plan and a goal and a focus but lets not forget about - just being from time to time. Afterall, tomorrow our opportunities are gone and we will only have the anticipated memories of what should have been. Maybe sometimes in life it is okay not to always have a plan - instead, from time to time - lets just live a little.