Take Stock of the Little Moments
In the end, they’ll be the big moments
This past weekend, I went on an overnight vacation with a few family members to Erie Pa- a place that is rich in my family’s history. It was a farewell of sorts- not to the location, but to the way of life as we know it.
I’ve been to Erie with my mom dozens of times throughout the years, but always as two single women. With an upcoming marriage in the family, I wanted to live this vacation just one more time.
I took three photos all vacation- of the hotel sign, the place where my fiance proposed (they recently chopped down the exact tree), and the view from Rum Runner’s. The lack of photos I took wasn’t because I didn’t want to remember this trip, but because I wanted to be so mindfully present that memories from this trip were printed on the inside, not the outside.
Life gets chaotic sometimes, and it’s hard to remember that everyday things should be celebrated. The things that seem mundane hold great value, we just don’t see it. In the hustle and bustle, it’s easy to overlook a meaningful event- for example having a phone conversation with someone you love. We don’t realize it’s there until the chances to do that are limited or gone.
For me, I had overlooked the magic that a trip to our favorite local location held for me. Until I realized how much I would miss that opportunity when it was gone. I would still go to the same location, but I would never be the same person again.
The things we overlook can be small- the activity of feeding the dogs, the buzz of a favorite drink, or the sound of your loved one’s voice. We don’t realize until they’re not there anymore how precious those things are. Take some time today to notice and pay attention to them.
Or take it larger. Go on that “one last” getaway to your favorite place. You’ll begin to soak in each memory that happens during that trip. Go with a grateful heart and go expecting. Documenting it or not is up to you, the important thing is to be thankful for the things that seem small in life now.
Five years down the line, none of us know where we’re going to be. We might think that we have an idea, but life changes quickly. For each season in life, there is a sense of looking back. We get so caught in forward-thinking- what do I have planned tomorrow, next month, next year? We stop thinking about what life is trying to teach us and the out in the open blessings we have today. What makes this season special? Think about it and enjoy it, because often we don’t get the same seasons over in life.
