the time to be happy is now

In August, Josh and I joined two of our closest friends on a day trip to Ogunquit, Maine. We spent the morning and afternoon lounging on the beach and later wandered up the cliffside paths into the little town. We investigated most of the shops and settled into a leisurely lobster dinner at a restaurant overlooking the ocean. It was a perfect day, and as we drove home, Josh and I sat in the back seat while our friends drove, hips pressed against each other, fingers intertwined, and I wondered how I got so lucky to have this good life.

Lately I've been working very long hours (evidenced by the fact that I'm still at the office at 10:28pm on a Tuesday) to close a couple of deals that have been in the works for several months now. I'm sure you've noticed, but I rarely write about my job here, mainly because I feel incredibly grateful to have found such a great group of people with whom I work. Eventually, though, the long hours take their toll, and there have been moments in my life as a corporate lawyer that I wonder what I'm doing with my days.

I really like my job. I like interacting with my colleagues every day, I like most of my clients, I like working my brain on these agreements, I like cracking jokes in meetings. Of course, I'd like to be reading in front of the fire on a snowy night like tonight MORE than sitting in my office, but those are the tradeoffs, I guess.

On that day in Ogunquit, Maine, I stumbled across a weathered looking sign hanging in the corner of a little store. At first I barely glanced at it before turning to the next cluster of items, but then I stopped, read it again, and pulled it off of its spot on the wall.

Every night before I go to sleep and every morning as I grab my keys out of my basket, I glance at it and remind myself that this mantra is more important than the job or the stress or the deadlines. I won't get a second chance to live my life, and I have to learn to be happy no matter what is happening around me. Of course, my family's and my good health, the wonderful relationships I have in my life, my loving husband, my sweet dogs, my secure job; all of these blessings and more don't hurt the cause either.