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Anticipation

    There is a shrub next to our walkway that's at least my height or taller. It put out little buds, and daily I have watched the leaves grow fuller. I thought how beautiful it was even in this early stage, the long branches, small light green leaves, and little buds that look like they'lll be pale yellow. Finally the little buds started to open up a day or so ago.

    Today I realized that the bush is shedding if you touch it. It's quite windy out and a few petals fall all on their own. I thought these buds have barely opened, but now they're falling off, featherweights in the breeze. All these weeks of anticipation and now they're dying off before I have time to enjoy them.

      But you know I have enjoyed them. Waiting to see what they will be like was joyful in its own quiet way. I thought how much like life this is. In so many things the anticipation is greater than the reality. The pursuit of the dream is greater than its achievement quite often. Its so easy to forget to savor the here and now while we're waiting for our goals. Our goals might be fragile and wispy, and once achieved, may blow away in the breeze.