Every moment is special

"If we take care of the moments, the years will take care of themselves."
— Maria Edgeworth, O Magazine, April 2004

Think back over the last week. How many moments were significant enough that you will remember them right now, or in a week, or in a month, a year, or even five years from now? Most of the time we are so busy surviving life that we let each moment slip by relatively unnoticed. In this rushed pace of living we also tend to take the people in our lives for granted, forget why we are really doing what we are doing, and don't even sacrifice a moment of time to be thankful for all that we have right now right here in front of us.

Time is a precious gift. Start living every moment in a more conscious light and you will begin to see how ordinary moments in your life are truly extraordinary. When you discover a particular moment in time that you want to treasure for years to come, stop and truly take it in. Allow yourself to stay in the experience, even just mentally, for a little longer than usual to notice what is so special about the moment. Soon you will be well on your way to building a mountain of wonderful memories of all the special moments in your life.

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As a mother of two, fast-growing kids, this message is especially important to me. Every day that goes by is another day of fantastic new discoveries and development for them. If I am so busy with my work or my stresses, am I going to miss out on these special days of growing up? Absolutely. It has already happened.

But I have also learned that it is never too late to start taking in the moments with them. I treasure each helping hand in the garden I get. Or an impromtu game of football toss. Even the morning walks to school full of laughter and silliness have now been embedded into my head. These moments are far too special to me to let slip away in the mass of neverending to-do lists and work. Once my children are grown up, I will have the joy of looking back on all these consciously stored memories and moments in our ever-changing lives.