Where Are the Stars On Your Calendar?

In 2016 I shared a blog post about the importance of having something to look forward to, and it is still one of the popular posts I’ve written. The subject re-surfaced a few times recently as we continue to emerge from so much isolation over this past year.

The sunlight can hurt your eyes when you’ve been in the cave for too long! That’s how it feels some days, I think. It can be daunting to begin again just making plans! But that’s indeed what we need to embrace, even relish.

Here’s one of the thoughts I shared:

“Throughout life, we become conditioned to want, even arguably need a mark in time to look forward to. It’s not that now isn’t important. On the contrary, now is crucial as it is the only thing that can create next. But there is still something that draws us in when there is a spot on the horizon that we look forward to reaching.”

Best-selling author and poet Rita Mae Brown has also offered that: “Happiness is pretty simple. You need someone to love, something to do, and something to look forward to.”

Part of what we continue to learn is what qualifies as something to look forward to changes. Even beyond the pandemic, it becomes clear that our coping mechanisms create different perspectives. For some, the transition to a much simpler life was good. For others, they found they were ready for something more significant. What matters is that we each define what constitutes that “star” on the calendar. We cannot look forward to something we have not claimed for ourselves.

When we are not counting the days to something, I believe we are missing some of life’s sweetest pleasures. That’s where the stars on the calendar play a part in how satisfying life can be.

What are you looking forward to this week? This month? This summer? Where are the stars on your calendar?

You may want to take a page from my practice with my granddaughter from years ago that I’m bringing back this year: A Summer Bucket List! We created one each year for her visit, and we had as much fun making the list as did checking off every adventure on it!

Now I’m creating my own Summer Bucket List. It’s part goals, part experiences, and part simply setting some intentions. Making that list made me realize just how important all of that is in life.  Especially now.

Best of all, it is getting those stars back on the calendar.

Something to think about as we move into these next months together. What would you like to pick up again? Pottery is coming back for me. I have so missed it! What books would you like to read, concerts to attend, museums to visit in person or virtually? I’ll be watching the summer solstice at Stonehenge! Who would you like to see or meet? What do you need to have ready for fall that you can make a fun part of summer?

Take the time now to envision and preview summer in your mind, and then make your own summer bucket list. It’s a practice worth doing and bringing back every year. But indeed, and especially, this year.

And by the way, if you’re feeling creative, throw on some glitter and watch those stars sparkle and shine!