Elias was a man of many notebooks. One for the house he’d build "mais tarde," one for the stories he’d write "mais tarde," and one for the trips he’d take when the time was right. To Elias, "later" wasn't a delay; it was a vast, shimmering horizon where all his best versions lived.
Elias stayed silent. He looked at his notebooks—his own "jars" of paper. That evening, he didn't open his "later" notebook. Instead, he picked up a pen and wrote one sentence on the first page of a new one:
The most "useful" thing about "later" is realizing it isn't guaranteed. Procrastination is often a coping mechanism for anxiety , but as Elias learned, the weight of unfulfilled intentions can become heavier than the work itself.
Clara smiled sadly. "This is a Jar of Laters. My husband filled it for forty years. Every time he wanted to tell me he loved me but was too busy, he’d whisper it into the jar to save for 'mais tarde.' Every time he wanted to see the ocean or learn the piano, he’d put a note in here for 'later.'"
Procrastination is a messenger - Carol Milters