10/20/2026
WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?
My mother believed that learning how people cooked, ate, danced, and lived was how you began to understand their culture. Wherever our family lived, she immersed us in the community around us. She reminded us often: “We are guests in their country.”
Those experiences taught me something that has stayed with me through every chapter of life: tomorrow is never guaranteed, and life rarely follows the plans we make for it.
We spend so much time waiting. Waiting for the right moment. Waiting to lose the weight, retire, save more money, get through a difficult season, or finally have everything figured out. We put off the trip. We delay the phone call. We save the beautiful dress, the special meal, and sometimes even our joy for “someday.”
But if you have reached your 60s, 70s, 80s, or beyond, you know that life has already surprised you. You have experienced loss, illness, heartbreak, financial worries, disappointments, and plans that fell apart despite your best efforts. And yet—you are still here.
You survived the days you once thought you could not survive. You earned wisdom, perspective, resilience, and a deeper appreciation for the people and moments that matter.
So call the friend. Take the trip. Order dessert. Wear the fabulous dress. Learn something new. Make a new friend. Say yes to an unexpected opportunity. Change your plans. Make new ones.
Do not wait for life to become perfect before you decide to enjoy it.
We have already survived the hard days. Now we get to live the ones that remain.