On being happy right where I am

I spend a lot of time looking forward to, and planning for, the next step. I look forward to Will and I finishing school, moving out of an apartment, having a house, getting married, having a yard, having a dog, having babies. There is so much to be excited for, and it's easy for my brain to busy itself with thinking about them.

I have to remind myself on a regular basis to slow down, look around, and appreciate right where I am. Every once in a while, life does that for me. This week for example, several things happened that reminded me that life is great right now, in an apartment building with no yard, no dog, and no babies. Just Will, myself, and our kitty.

Wednesday, after working on a group project at school, I went out to lunch with my friend Sarah. It turned out that my next door apartment neighbor works at the restaurant, and was generous enough to not charge for my sandwich. He called it the "neighbor discount", and I appreciated it more for the thoughtfulness than the few dollars I saved (though that was nice too!). 
Later that day, a neighbor knocked on the door to give me my Real Simple magazine, which had been delivered to her by accident.
And finally, when I got home from the store one evening last week, it was dark and cold out, but my apartment building was not. People had lights on,  our porch was glowing orange and yellow with its halloween lights. I was grateful in that moment for a building that felt like home.


Apartments still feel a little odd to me, like tiny little homes stuck together and stacked on top of one another, but I love the home Will and I have created here, and the things we've learned here that will make future homes even better. I probably won't stop "touring" houses vis realtor.com or lusting after pretty weddings on wedding gawker, but I will take more time to appreciate right where I am now.