When my four-year-old began donning his rain boots to head out into the sleet, I asked him if he wanted help with his jacket.

“No,” he replied, “I just want to taste it.  I don’t need a jacket.”

I watched him walk out the back door onto our deck.  My husband snapped this picture of him tasting the rain/snow/sleet that was falling from the sky.  And I thought about how many times I let what I consider to be necessary preparations distract me from simply enjoying the present moment.

For instance, before I would go out to taste the precipitation, I would gather and put on all sorts of cold- and wet-weather gear.

Part of that specific to this example.  I run much colder than my boys.  They are frequently comfortable in shorts and a t-shirt when I find myself wearing a jacket of some sort.  But part of it is also this: I tend to want to plan for every eventuality.

My four-year-old simply jumps in and enjoys.  He knows that he can come inside the house, to get dried off and warmed up, whenever he’s ready.  Instead of planning it all out, he chooses to enjoy the moment.  He deals with the consequences as they arise, rather than trying to figure them all out ahead of time.

While there is definitely a place for planning, it’s also good to sometimes jump in and simply enjoy the moment.  After all, moments are fleeting.  And if I always take the time to plan, the moment may no longer be there for me to enjoy.

So next time, maybe I’ll grab my boots and step outside with my four-year-old to taste the rain/sleet/snow without taking the time to plan it all out.  Like my son, I can take comfort in the fact that I can come back inside at any time.  Or maybe I’ll grab a jacket first.  After all, the planner in me has made sure that it’s right by the door.  In any case, I can enjoy stepping outside with him.  And together, we can enjoy the beauty of the moment.

Does your planning ever get in the way of you enjoying the present?