Aspiring for the stars is one thing, but we should be happy with the blessings that come our way, and think of those less fortunate who have much, much less.

Be thankful for what you have, but strive hard to reach higher goals.

We convince ourselves that life will be better after we finish school, find the right person, get engaged, get married, have a baby, then another. We soon grow bored and look for the next “step”. The Stones had it right when they declared “I can’t get no satisfaction”. Are we so self-involved that we have to look to outside sources to make us happy? We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our boyfriend gets his act together, when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice vacation, or when we retire. The truth is, there’s no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when?

My favorite quote comes from Alfred D. Souza. He said, “For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be worked through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, or a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.”

This perspective has helped me to see that there is no road that ends at happiness. Happiness is the dandelion on the side of the road. We should treasure every moment we have and treasure it more if we shared it with someone special, special enough to spend our time with. We need to realize that time waits for no one.

I’m done waiting. I take big bites of life. There are many things I want to do yet and I will, but not because I need to feel “complete.” I’ve finally realized that I am complete. I am surrounded by wonderful people and I am thankful for that. I have my head on straight and I’m not afraid to admit that I AM satisfied. I no longer think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence because I know grass always turns brown when fall comes.

Stop waiting until you finish school, until you go back to school, until you lose ten pounds, until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids, until your kids leave the house, until you start work, until you retire, until you get married, until you get divorced, until Friday night, until Sunday morning, until you get a new car or home, until your car or home is paid off, until spring, until summer, until fall, until winter, until you are off welfare, until the first or fifteenth, until your song comes on, until you’ve had a drink, until you’ve sobered up, until you die, until you are born again to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy.

Don’t let the good things pass you by because you focus on the past or the future. We shouldn’t be worried abut what we have to do or have to be satisfied, but rather enjoy what we have now that satisfies us.