A lesson that kept recurring on my long road trip was: Do it while you have the chance.
You plan to hike later in the day, but it may rain later. The employee you were going to talk to in the afternoon may leave early. The attraction may be closed when you pass it on the way back. You only have one set of clean clothes left, and you may not be in the vicinity of a laundromat tomorrow. Your internet connection may go on the fritz tonight, and those websites you were going to look at may not load. So, write down those driving directions now. Pay that bill now. Look up that information now. Visit the attraction when you first come to it. Hike while the weather’s decent. Wash your clothes while you have the opportunity. Do it now, while you’ve got the chance.
Of course, I translate this into a major life lesson. Don’t wait. When is it going to feel like The Perfect Time to move, start a family, take up a new sport, go back to school, switch careers, take a vacation to Paris, or whatever else you want to do in life? Sometimes, never.
Heck, even if it is raining, if you want to get a hike in today, go for it! [One of my favorite lessons related to this topic is mentioned in this post about Badlands Petrified Gardens in Kadoka, SD.] You’re alive now, you’re here now, you have the chance right now. Even if the conditions don’t seem “perfect,” you’ll have an experience that shapes your life.