The following Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson,

and is narrated by Tina Lehman.

Do you have something to look forward to?

This time of year, it's fun to remember the Christmases when my kids were young, and I'd

venture many of us can recall similar experiences, whatever holiday they were a part of.

The night before, each of them would be practically leaping out of their own skin and excitement.

Falling asleep was a near impossibility as they laid in their

beds anticipating the next morning, finding the cookies they'd left for the man in red, with carrots

for the reindeer, half eaten, seeing the colorful wrapped gifts under the tree, wondering what new and

fun thing they'd be creating fantastical scenarios with.

It was their giddy animated exhilaration that was so fun to observe,

their imaginative suspense about how it would all reveal itself.

When was the last time you felt anything close to that in your life?

When was the last time you really looked forward to something? Felt the thrill

of anticipation. Too often, I think, we relegate true, heady enthusiasm to childhood,

as if we should be beyond that level of emotional engagement by the time we're old enough to vote,

get a mortgage, and pay taxes. Life at that point, we assume, becomes

about responsibility and security more than lofty visions. For those with children, it might

feel even more of a duty to relinquish our turn with exhilaration, to unconsciously pass down

and pass on the anticipatory fantasies, so we can focus on grounding

real life with all the practical necessities for our families. And yet, I think we do ourselves

an injustice when we do so, because I think it's essential at every age to have something to look

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