Somewhere Between Here and There

Somewhere between here and there is a place where so many things are possible… where your children behave without even a cross eye, the bills all get paid and there’s money leftover at the end of every month, those vacation plans you’ve wanted to make for so long don’t seem so out of reach and that person you once thought you could be still seems feasible when you look in the mirror.

That place… is it real? Where all your friends are worthwhile? And your family never questions your decisions or you theirs? Where the perfect job really does exist and obtaining it is actually within your reach? Where your dreams seem attainable even despite your hectic busy life?

During the holidays, it’s often even harder to believe that such a place like this could exist. With the chaos of work, kids, shopping, baking, entertaining, who actually has time to think about that magical place between here and there. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in things that don’t matter especially when you have so many people telling you to just slow down and smell the Christmas pine. Sometimes you feel like you’re running from the moment you wake-up in the morning until that point of exhaustion when you fall back into bed at night.

Our lives are created through a series of moments to help define who we are as people. And while no single moment is meant to define us as a whole but rather it is the sum of our parts that helps us choose the paths we travel and the course of our next action. Whether it is the loss of a longtime friendship or an incredible new higher paying job, it is about our own strength of character and heart that helps guide us to the next road we must take or even how the next page of our life should be completed.

Moments don’t always have to be the best ever to help shape who we are or who we become. In anyone’s life, there will be pain, there will be sorrow, there will be death, but if you’re doing it right there will also be a whole lot of love, friendship, laughter, compassion and happiness.

Somewhere between here and there is also the place where our “What ifs?” lie along with our “Wonder what would’ve happened.” It’s a place some of us go just for a moment every now and then. Because we must not dwell on the ‘What Ifs’ or the ‘Could’ve Beens’ since we are meant to keep moving forward not backwards.

Just like the line says,

Yesterday’s the past. Tomorrow’s the future but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.

No matter what direction life has taken us to get to this point right now, it is up to us to take that first step toward the lives we want to lead in the future. It’s never too late for a change. Expiration dates aren’t stamped on goals and dreams unless we start believing they are too out of reach, then they are simply self imposed. So whether your dream is to write a book, lose yourself on a whirlwind trip throughout Europe, live on the beach in Hawaii or simply find a better way to make yourself happy, then taking life by the horns and making the small changes in order to get to the monumental ones may seem much more do-able to any Average Joe if you just start small.

As for that somewhere between here and there where life seems all too perfect in all ways, I’m sure it does exist. But perfect means there is probably no room for change, for improvement or even for mistakes. And life is about making mistakes and figuring out how to pick ourselves up, not make the same mistake twice and make a better choice the next time around. Life is about choices and making the wrong ones every now and then to figure out the right ones.

For me, this holiday season has been about everyone being sick in my house at one point or another, finishing everything at the last moment and my usual seasonal stress. But I have still found time to laugh, relax, watch an overload of Hallmark Christmas movies and do everything in my power to remember that it’s not about the presents wrapped under the tree, instead it’s about the people gathered around it.

May your house always smell of freshly baked cookies. May the joy and happiness of family and friends surround you this holiday season. And may you always find the true meaning of the season wherever you go.

Happy Holidays from The Hasamears!