Why is our windshield is so much bigger than our rear view mirror?

If you know me at all, you know I love a great metaphor using a car! I was raised by an old car nut and learned to drive on a 1955 T-Bird when I was 12 and a year later, learned to drive a stick on a 1932 Ford Woodie, coming across the states at a rousing 40mph.

In time, I have been able to gather my trifecta; 1932 Ford Woodie, 1965 21 window VW bus and a 1965 356 Porsche. Both my Dad's birth year and mine.

It's in my DNA and I was reminded of that when I started and test drove the Woodie yesterday. Driving old cars with all their quirks is like riding a bike, something you don't have to relearn and it really does bring me great joy

I believe we are suppose

to be in the now.

The power of now is well, powerful.

We don't have yesterday and

tomorrow hasn't arrived.

The presence, it really is a gift.

When we live each moment,

in the present, we get the most

out of this journey.

Yet, who doesn't love having a trip

on their horizon to look forward to? Projects and plans in the making,

is something that really drives me.

It's nice to have a room with a view,

so to speak. Something to look out

past the windshield of life to gaze upon.

The key element is to try our best - to not have attachments for a particular outcome. Focus on the action, not the results. It's only then that we can enjoy the journey, welcome the detours and feel balanced. This is how I imagine 'going with the flow' looks.

I also believe that looking back, in right measure is invaluable. As time goes by, making memories that will last a lifetime, grows in importance for me. If you're really lucky, those stories might even be shared down through the generations,The things we gather lose their value, especially if they aren't a vehicle for memories being made.

I recently made copies of photos for my Mom while she was in the hospital, to lift her spirits. It was of my Dad - they were married for 64 years, her kids and our family. It brought her great joy to look back on memories that we've made together. Connection and community is soul food.

That was a relatively small gesture for stoking someone's joy. On the other end of the joy meter, my dear Aunt Rochelle gifted us with one of the most thoughtful gifts we've ever received, something I will never forget.

She let me know that she was sending me some books. I knew my Uncle Jim had spent decades digging into our genealogy. I was stoked to have the fruits of his labor, for I really enjoy learning about our family history.

I assumed (we all know what that stands for) that they were just that, books about our family history, so when the packages arrived at my Mom's house for me, I thoughtfully left them in their bubble wrapped envelopes, to store in our RV until we moved home next month.

It wasn't until a comment on Facebook led me to believe some of those books were for me and Doug, specifically. So, I quickly opened up the envelope, only to find that during the five months that Doug & I traveled over the states, my sweet Aunt Rochelle was compiling two books full of our adventures, both with photos and posts that I had written. I immediately teared up and stopped to soak up the feeling of being on the receiving end of this incredibly thoughtful gift of time and love. It was one of the nicest things anyone had done for me. I called to thank her and we had fun chatting about our trip and life in general.

When someone really touches me like this, I try to squirrel the feeling away in my memory bank, in hopes of keeping it fresh. I also try to retain the idea, so that hopefully I can pay this forward someday. What a beautiful way for someone to feel seen and supported by another person!

When we think about how many days we have spent living and then how much of that time is retained in our reflections, it is proportionate to the size of a rear view mirror.

Since our memories are a fraction of the time that we've experienced, I try to be mindful as to the quality of my reflections. I ask myself is this productive and positive? I am mindful of what I focus on, for that is the diet that ultimately nourishes me.

As well as, when we gaze through our vast windshield, as we move on down the road of life, I believe it's no coincidence that our ability to look ahead is so much more expansive than what we see when we look back.

As I am experiencing my now,

I try to keep all of this in mind.

I always say we vote with our

minutes and dollars.

Are you creating moments

that allow you to make the

memories that are the

sweet nectar of life?

Some that will last a lifetime or

maybe even be told

long after you transition.

With love and gratitude

for this shared journey,

Shari