Welcome to chapter 27- Living in the moment
When I look back on my childhood, I see colour. I see laughter. I see family reunions, friends at the door, play-outs that turned into run-outs, bike races down the street until it got got dork outside went down. Those days were simple, and full of real joy.
Thinking about it makes me happy… but also a little sad. Because somewhere along the way, that strong sense of community faded. The togetherness we once had doesn’t feel the same for us or for our children.
But maybe those are the very days we need to find our way back to.
Tomorrow isn’t promised.
We say it all the time, but do we really live like we believe it?
Life has a way of pulling us into routines — work, bills, responsibilities, deadlines, money. We wake up focused on surviving the day, ticking boxes, chasing security. And without even realising it, we start taking the most important things for granted.
Our children.
Our mums and dads.
Our siblings.
Our grandparents.
Our husbands.
Our wives.
Our friends.
The very people who make life meaningful.
We assume there will always be another Sunday dinner. Another birthday. Another phone call. Another chance to say, “I love you.” But the truth is, none of us knows what tomorrow holds.
And that isn’t meant to scare you — it’s meant to wake you up.
What happened to the simple days?
Home movie nights on the sofa.
Snakes and Ladders spread across the floor.
Ludo, Monopoly, card games that somehow lasted for hours.
The kind of laughter that makes your stomach hurt.
The kind that fills a room and stays with you.
Those moments don’t bring in money.
They don’t pay the bills.
They don’t increase your status.
But they are the moments that build a life.
In the end, no one looks back and says, “I wish I worked more.”
They say, “I wish I spent more time with the people I love.”
Life can make us forget what is truly important. Social media can make us compare, compete, and chase a version of success that looks good online but feels empty in real life. We scroll past other people’s highlight reels and forget to live our own.
But the real blessings are quieter.
Picnics in the park.
Playing with your children, nieces, and nephews.
Long chats with friends where time disappears.
Laughing so hard you can’t breathe.
Sitting at the table with no phones, just presence.
These are the things that feed your soul.
And here’s the honest truth — slowing down isn’t just good for your relationships. It’s good for your mental health.
When you disconnect from constant notifications and reconnect with real human interaction, your nervous system settles. Your anxiety lowers. Your mind feels clearer. Presence reduces stress. Genuine laughter releases tension. Meaningful connection combats loneliness in a way no number of followers ever could.
Turning your phone off for an evening can do more for your mental wellbeing than hours of scrolling ever will.
We weren’t designed to live in constant comparison.
We were designed for connection.
So slow down.
Look up.
Put the phone down and sit on the floor with your kids.
Call your mum back.
Visit your grandparents.
Play the game.
Have the conversation.
Say the words.
Live with no regrets.
Love loudly.
Laugh deeply.
Appreciate intentionally.
Because when I look back on my life, I don’t want to say I existed.
I want to say I lived.
I lived because I loved.
I lived because I spent time with the people who mattered.
I lived because I recognised what was truly important.
Tomorrow isn’t promised.
But today is here.
So let’s use it well.
Let me leave this with you : God calls on individuals to embrace and enjoy the journey of life, not just the destination, by living fully in the present, finding joy in daily toil, and trusting in divine companionship.
Love Shana xx
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