Having Goals

I've heard a lot over the years about the importance of clearly stating your long-term goals and the ways you intend to achieve them (short-term goals). That makes sense to me. Except it doesn't.

I am 46 years old, and I still have no idea how to clearly state my long-term goals. All of my goals seem so intangible, maybe a little abstract. Everything I have read about the subject says you won't achieve your goals unless you clearly define them. And that sends me almost into a panic. Oh my gosh... I'm not going to achieve my goals unless I write them down! Quick... get me a piece of paper!

And then I sit there. I sit there staring at a blank piece of paper. Certainly I have goals. Why can't I seem to write anything down? I'm a fairly motivated human being. What are my goals???

But when I think of what I want ten years from now, I realize I still want the same life I have today. I want the same husband, the same daughters . . . maybe a few more grandchildren (but I don't feel that's something that goes on my goal list). I want to know we will be living our lives unselfishly, helping others whenever we see a need. I want to be people who always have encouraging words to offer. I want people to know that if they need help, they can come to us, whether it's to talk or to move a dresser. Certainly I have financial goals... I want to be able to have enough money to pay all our bills and have some leftover so we can continue having amazing family vacations, fixing up all the long-overdue projects on our house, and helping others however we can.

I have a picture of how I want life to be... but as for a list of goals, it bothers me that I don't have one. I feel like with not having one, maybe I'm not as effective of a human being as I should be. Should I be able to map out a plan? Are there things I should be doing on a daily basis to whip this plan into action?

Yesterday morning my oldest daughter sent me an e-mail called "The List" in which she listed all the things she loves about me. She also sent one to her dad. I cried when I read mine. Then I posted it by my computer so I could read it every day. And in writing this blog entry, I looked over and read it again, and I realized... my page isn't blank at all. I'm just lucky enough to have everything I ever wanted.

Mom & Dad--I don't really know why I made these lists...

other than because I just wanted you to know...

I love my mother because she always sees me as good, even when that's the last thing I feel. I love her because she is so selfless and always wants everyone around her to feel loved. I love her because she cried while she watched me sleep when I was sick. I love her because she said she never wants me to feel obligated to do anything; she never wants me to feel stuck. I love her because she's always on my side. I love her because she chose to be a better mom than she could have chosen to be. I love my mother because she let me be angry with her in order to protect me. I love her because she knew that sometimes, in order to love me, she couldn't protect me, and I know that hurt her. I love my mother because she chose to forgive when she could've stayed angry, and how that taught me to forgive, too. I love my mother because there never was and never is anything too big for her to want to give me. And I love her because she loves me enough to do all these things.