Just Ordinary Moments?
I was looking at my boys this afternoon on the trampoline. Ezra flying through the air, hair flashing in the sunlight, laughing. What a special moment that will never come again, I thought – that I completely take for granted.
All-of-a-sudden my mind flashed forward and I could see them fully grown, leaving our home. My days right now are so full and intense. Sometimes they’re so hard it feels unbearable. But a vision like that causes my breath to catch and my throat to choke up. I even feel a small flash of panic. This will all be over before I know it and the memories I will cherish most will be days like these – full of ordinary moments that in hindsight become extraordinary.
But you know what? I don’t want to wait until my kids are grown and gone to realize how extraodinary these days are. I want to see that now, to be present with my children, letting my heart fill and swell with love and emotion, wonder and awe at the beauty of who they are. Seeing God’s intricate, amazing handiwork in each one. Because the truth is every moment I am privileged to share with them is precious.
How can we cause ourselves to live fully and deeply, discovering all the gifts in this present moment?
“OBSERVE!!! There are few things as important, as religious, as that” – Frederick Buechner
Sometimes if I’m in a moment with my children and I begin to feel bored, listless, “checked out” so to speak, I try to remember this quote. I look around and try to wake up my senses to the present moment.
Begin by just noticing colors around you – the deep green of trees, the color of your child’s eyes and hair, the grass, the sunshine, the sky, whatever is around you. Begin to see the beauty and let it awake you from your emotional slumber inside yourself. Hear the words your child is speaking, observe their motions and play, be amazed at the way their bodies and minds function, see it all as a gift, as a miracle.
As you observe your heart and emotions will follow. You will feel your heart filling with wonder, amazement, beauty and then joy will come, laughter will flow out. Before you know it, instead of waiting for the hours to pass until bedtime, you are enjoying your day with a deep sense of purpose that you have not felt in a long time. This look, this face, this day will never come again. Treasure it. Each moment, each minute, is a gift.
The video I’m posting below is a true treasure. If you have a few minutes to watch it, I know it will bless you as it did me. And I dare you not to cry! 
Yes! Yes! Yes! This is exactly why 18 months ago I began a journey to let go of distraction and grasp what matters … because I was missing all the “moments,” the God given miracles that make up the best parts of life. I love the quote you provided, and I know I will think of it when I am physically there, but not “really” there. You have given me a wake up call through your words. Thank you for this beautiful reminder.
oh les, again you bless me. this is my favorite post so far. thank you for this. i needed to hear this in the midst of how crazy my life is right now. and, i LOVED the video. Katrina Kennison wrote one of my very favorite “parenting” books… Mitten Strings For God. I’m sure you’ve read it, but if not- get it NOW! love you!
What a beautiful post! Thank you so much for this … lately, I’ve had some of those days where I am very literally counting the minutes till bedtime, or till my husband gets home from work. I’m trying to change that — I don’t want to look back and think how much of the time I spent being exasperated, or checking Facebook, or in any other way missing my kids’ kid-hood