WOW by Char

In The Happenings

Learn to value the present

By Chardonnay Beaver

Gratitude has a way of placing our mind and intentions in the present. Verbalizing gratitude reorients our focus towards the present.

If I can be fully transparent, I’m not the greatest at being present. I recently discovered this is a mild form of arrogance, in a way. The thought that I can set out my days as though each one is promised. The occasional thought that I should be ineligible for inconvenience. 

For the sake of humility, I’ll single myself out and pretend like none of y’all have dealt with this type of arrogance. 

Grief has a way of exposing our morality, and the confines we live in. Perhaps learning how acquaintances are processing grief has illuminated my own perspective of life.

As a result, I recently considered this thought: if I learned to value the mundane as much as I value the extraordinary, I will cultivate a great foundation for balance. Being considerate of the future isn’t wrong. However, we create detriments when we value “the strive” more than “the strides” in life. 

Here’s the difference: striving is all about making efforts to achieve or possess something. Like finally affording a new car, successfully completing finals, scheduling that overdue vacation, and more. “The strives” in life motivates us and stirs up a spirit of hope. 

However, we really need to master the strides.

Striding is something I’m learning to value as an adult. This wasn’t something I often saw growing-up because everyone, and I mean everyone, was simply trying to make ends meet. 

Being raised by two entrepreneurs, striving was our lifeline as a family– and my parents were good at it. It’s difficult to identify a practice as unhealthy when it yields tangible rewards in an integrable way. 

However, striding is what allows us to live sustainable lives. A stride is defined as a long decisive step. Striding is all about precision and mastering a state of being. “The strides” in life grant us a pace of grace that is invaluable. 

Words of Wisdom by Char of The Week:As a journalist, I get the opportunity to speak with incredible women. A woman once told me during our interview, “never abort one season of life.” Though this can be considered as strong language, the imagery is clear. Don’t allow yourself to get lost in the ‘happenings’ of life. Choose a life that incorporates both modalities: striving and striding. Ecclesiastes 9:11-12