Oct26

swim out to it.

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when eating lunch with my daughter

she looked at.her sandwich

and noticed that one half had more of the ‘good stuff’ she liked inside

as she began to set it aside to save it for later

I asked why she didn’t eat the one she preferred right now

when it was fresh

it would make her happy

 it would not help or harm anyone

if she did or did not

and if she waited until later

it might be mushy and cold

or it may be accidentally dropped to the floor

and then she would not really have enjoyed either half

and who knows

 what could happen before she eats the second half

(granted, a bit dark and extreme on my part)

never knowing what is to come

good or bad

 why wait and not live life fully right now?

she agreed and ate the one she preferred 

(she’s probably hoping for a quiet lunch in her office tomorrow)

but I think it’s a good metaphor for life:

eat the sandwich, the one with the good stuff,

when it is served to you on a plate,

and sitting on the table before you

just waiting for you to pick it up and enjoy it

don’t save it for later.

—

“don’t wait for your ship to come in – swim out to it. ”      

-jerry smith

63 responses »

  4. That’s a deep philosophical lunchtime conversation. I often leave what I like best until last so I finish with that taste in my mouth. I can see how living life now doesn’t really suggest that as an option. 🙂 Love the quote. I’ll have to start swimming more often. 🙂

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  8. I tend to leave the best part until last, such as a bagel. I’ll save the half of the bagel that has all the good stuff on it (sesame seeds, multigrain stuff) for last. This sounds a little like the famous marshmallow experiment!

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  18. You’re a smart mom Beth! I totally loved your writings. From where you started and then suddenly changed to philosophy of life, that subtle transformation was so lovely.

    I know it’s difficult to realise what you wrote, but only if we all knew how to react to things at one go. Live in today. I had also written about something similar of how to stay in the present and not try to look way into the future. I call it being myopic. Do have a look when you’re free!

    https://the11oclockdiary.home.blog/2019/08/08/rant-17-being-myopic-and-killing-the-stigma-around-it/

    All the best! Looking forward for more posts from you!

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  28. As she was dying of breast cancer, Erma Bombeck wrote that she wished she had burned the good candle instead of saving it for ‘someday’. Now that I am older, I often get full before my meal is finished. I try to eat my fave part of a meal first – dessert first? Yup, I’m in!

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