“Enjoy the Little things in life, because one day you will look back, and realize they were the Big things.”
Kurt Vonnegut
I stayed home one night last week. I built a glorious, blazing fire in the backyard chiminea, and petted my wonderful dog. Not exactly unusual activities for me or many others, I know. But my intent was clear. Be mindful and be grateful. The past week’s events in our country were so profoundly disturbing. It felt time to take stock, to take a beat.
More and more, it feels so very important to think about the small moments, the quiet unnoticed times, the little things. So, I focused on how delicious the soft summer breeze felt, and listened, really listened to the sounds of summer; the locusts, the evening bird chirps, the monotonous tune of the ice cream truck as it wound its way up and down the neighborhood blocks, and the muffled conversation and laughter of neighbors next door, or across the fence. And of course, I gave Harvey the Wonder Dog some well-deserved scratches and pets on his chest.
Dusk came slowly and gently. I watched the fireflies light up the sky and do their nighttime dance…reflected on a year, well, a few years really, that had not gone quite as I may have liked. Then, chose to embrace them and all that they had taught me. A lifetime of lessons about love, friendship, survival, and most of all gratitude force-fed in a matter of months.
Moments. Moments that I had. Moments that I will never get back. How many moments have I dismissed, let go, didn’t acknowledge, or appreciate ? As I sat there that night, petting my dog, gazing into the fire, I vowed both silently and aloud, to be there. Really BE there. To not regret the multitude of moments that I have missed, that have gone unnoticed, that are gone forever. But to embrace and be present for THIS moment, and the many moments to come. Thank you to all of you who were there, and continue to be there for me. I’m absolutely sure that you know who you are. Amen.
