I want to get this entry written while it’s still fresh in my mind. Being as human as everyone else, I often stumble over the same things that many of you do. Even though I probably know better, either through training, studying, or personal experience, I tend to forget from time to time. Today was almost one of those times. I was very involved in paperwork, which is not my favorite thing to do. I had all kinds of materials spread around me, and I was very focused. My husband, who had been outside, came in and asked if I would like to go for a walk at the beach. He said there was a really good tide right then. It was so tempting to say, “No, that I was really busy”, but I suddenly realized that this was one of those times that I could just let go by, or I could reach out and grab it. It was my choice! I asked him to give me about 10 minutes, so that I could tie up the loose ends of what I was working on, and then we could go down to the beach. I am so thankful that I made that choice.
It was a magical day at the beach! The sun was shining, with just a light breeze to keep everyone comfortable. There was a beautiful, thin veil of moisture lifting up from the wet sand, giving those walking through it a mystical appearance. The tide was out a long way, which exposed the normally hidden patterns of rock formations. There were small clusters of parents and children climbing among those rocks and eagerly examining the tide pools. I paused to listen to the children’s excited voices. They sounded so happy, and I realized that they were clearly “in the moment”! I looked off to the right, up on the hillside, and noticed the vivid blue sky, with just a few wispy clouds floating by. Contrasting sharply against the sky were the tall, graceful palm trees and the bright colorful bougainvillea. I looked back out toward the water and saw pelicans skimming over the surface looking for tidbits to eat, and then saw a lone man in a kayak going parallel to the shore. I felt so blessed in that moment to live where I do, to be able to get in the car and within 4 or 5 short minutes to be down at the beach, walking in the fresh morning air, enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells of the shore. My husband and I sat down on the sand and took time to absorb the experience, to soak it into our pores. It was a wonderful few minutes, that I could have so easily missed.
My point in writing this, is to try and paint a vivid picture of how magical this time wound up being. If I had chosen to stay in my house, focused on my paperwork, my life would not have been enriched by this short passage of time. I would have gotten my paperwork done a bit quicker, but I would have missed out on so much. We have so many choices that we make, minute by minute, as we go through our days. Each choice has the potential of leading us down a path. Will it be a path that enriches the temporary and builds long-lasting memories, or will it just leave us with the vague knowledge that we’ve fulfilled a responsibility? I’m not encouraging a life of irresponsibility and self-centeredness, but there needs to be a balance. Don’t let your life go by without reaching out and grabbing those precious moments! They can be all too fleeting!
There’s a quote by Coreta Kent, which says:
Life is a succession of moments. To live each one is to succeed.
This morning I felt like I truly succeeded in making the right choice for me. My husband and I had a wonderful time of closeness, out in nature, and I came back refreshed and ready to refocus on the paperwork that I had set aside.
Look around for your magical moments. It doesn’t matter where you live. Those moments can be found anywhere, at any time. The important things is that you reach out and seize them for yourself.
Linda