After It’s Over, What’s Next?

A friend recently reminded me of this story from author Peggy Noonan’s blog in The Wall Street Journal:

“At a recent 100th birthday party, a man shared wisdom with friends. He said there are two words we don’t honor enough. One is ‘over’ and the other is ‘next.’ There’s a kind of hammock between the two and it is right now, this moment we’re sharing. He was saying: Be present. But as he talked, I heard embedded within his words a layer of advice. That it’s actually a key skill to be able to see when something’s over, when it’s the past, not the future; that you have to have eyes that can find the next area of constructiveness, which may take time; and in the time between—the hammock—you must maintain your peace and poise.”

I love this story. Especially the part about the hammock. Usually when something is over, I’m restless until I know what’s next. But here’s an invitation to spend that time not restless, but resting in a hammock that hangs between the past and the future. 

How easy is it for you to maintain your peace in the time between what’s over and what’s next? Maybe consider that in your hammock…preferably before your 100th birthday!

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