Responsibility

So, I had this small realization last night, though not sure why it took me so long to realize this. Mark, Aubrey and I were driving home from a big night out at Moe's Burritos and it dawned on me that I have spent my whole life focused so much on the future, that I didn't always stop to appreciate the present. I turned to him and said, "do you realize that at every stage in your life, you have more responsibility?" He said that he had heard this story on a Christian radio station about a dad telling his son that he will never have less responsibility than he has at this moment in his life. This is so true!! And it doesn't really matter what point in time that moment may be. Until you reach retirement, you pretty much just keep piling on the responsibilities.

I realized that my entire life has been spent anxious to reach the next stage in my life...in grade school, I wanted nothing more than to be a teenager in high school. Once I was in high school, I just wanted to graduate and move off to college. I went to night-school the entire summer following my Junior year in order to graduate a year early. I moved out of my mom's house and off to college at 17 - more responsibility. In college, I was only concentrated on my career, so I worked at a radio station and took some of my classes in the evening - more responsibility. When I finally graduated, again a semester early (after cramming way too many classes into my schedule), I was so excited to start my big career. I hated it!! I thought, "this is what I have been working so hard my entire life to achieve?" Everyday was the same, I was unfulfilled, and I realized that I never took the time to have fun. I quit my job, took another job, and got a puppy - more responsibility. I bought a townhouse - again more responsibility! At this point, I felt like I had accomplished many of the things on my 'to-do list', next down was the whole family thing. I then met my husband, and was married less than a year later (that is a whole other story in itself!!) - yet again, more responsibility. This story could go on and on, but to get to the point, we bought a home, moved a few times, started RuffleButts, and then came our precious Aubrey. Holy cow, more RESPONSIBILITY!!

So, I realized last night, that I totally and completely love my life and every single one of my responsibilities (okay, maybe not the whole house-cleaning thing), but for the most part, I wouldn't change a thing. I just wish that someone would have told me (I'm sure they did, but knowing me, I just didn't listen), to stop and smell the roses...to party a little more in college, to lay on the couch a little more in high school, to spend more time with my friends and family, before we were all consumed by life's responsibilities. Then, I realized, that although life is super crazy right now, and I've never had more responsibilities, that I need to take time to stop and enjoy my life. I should cuddle with my husband when Aubrey goes to bed at night, I should kiss on her every bit I can while she'll still let me, I should go out to lunch with girlfriends even if I'm behind at work. Life is short, it goes by fast, so yes, you probably have more responsibilities right now than you ever have before, but enjoy this moment, cause I guarantee you'll have more in the future!