Tortoise vs. Hare: who is the real winner in the end?

Happy Friday, dear readers!

Well, you made it through another work week. Treat yourself to whatever and however you feel is right.

Me? I treat myself to watching Criminal Minds (my latest obsession) and some time to myself. 

There is something that has been on my mind since I wrote a paper on in my college writing class I took in high school. I'm actually surprised with myself that it stuck with me all this time. As I write this post, I cannot, for the live of me, remember how I got this topic. What I do remember is struggling with the introduction. Any writer or teacher or college professor will recommend leaving the intro for last because people can get easily stuck on how to preface what they want to write about. (Personally, I agree; although, I'm process-orientated so I always go in order.)

Then I remembered an old fable. The Tortoise and the Hare. Inspiration had hit, and I was off and running with my paper. Aesop's fable is one that is commonly heard during our childhood. And as many people are aware of, fables are stories designed to give some sort of lesson or moral. Although the true lesson of The Tortoise and the Hare has been debated, it means (to me) that sometimes slow and steady does win the race. 

What my paper was about and what has been on my mind lately is the fact we live fast-paced lives--sometimes too fast. 

We are becoming the Hare. We seem to be needing to keep going and going as we live our lives in the fast lane. But my question for those people is: what are you working towards and will it really matter in the end? More importantly, will it be worth it?

We often get so caught up in the day-to-day drama that happens in lives. Or our minds get stuck in the past or the future. What we miss out on are the simpler things in life-the little simple pleasures. 

Often what stops us in our tracks are huge events. Sometimes the events are tragic or devastating: going to the doctor for a routine check-up and finding out about advanced cancer or another terrible illness or the death of a loved one. 

Or sometimes the events are beautiful and full of joy: becoming parents (or witnessing a baby being brought into this world) or getting married. 

It is then we realize that we were living without really living. We need to stop worrying so much and just live in the moment more. 

You might be thinking: it's not as easy as that sounds. And you would be right. It isn't. But like any commitment requires it takes dedication. 

If you get anything out this post, make it this: find those simple pleasures and embrace them more. More often than not, it will those moments you'll remember most.

Until next time...

Thought of the day