Making Moments Matter

Have you ever met someone who makes the most of the moment you are sharing? I am so fortunate to have such a person in my life. 

My daughter. 

No matter where you go or what you do with her, there's always a bit of thrill to the event. Her happiness is contagious and it feels good just to be with her.

Taking a walk on the boardwalk in the rain? The sea breeze is healthy and calming. Standing in a long line at a busy food store? Ahhhh, the produce is so colorful and bright. Stuck in traffic? Use the time to catch up with some pals or listen to music. Need to give a presentation at work? Get excited about the project and Smile!

She has learned the art of making moments matter.

Time is defined as a system that measures the passage from one event to another. Whether the sequence is long or short, pleasant or painful, spontaneous or planned, we establish our own set of accomplishments around this organized set of numbers. 

Our very existence is defined by how we spend our time.

Most of us divide time into three major parts: Past. Present. Future. And most of us get stuck in either the Past or the Future and spend precious little time in the Present. Since you cannot change the Past, it is better to learn from it. And since you cannot see into the Future, it is better not to worry over it. This does not mean we should discard our memories and, of course, it would be pure irresponsibility to never plan for different phases of our lives, but to be truly in the moment can be so rewarding.

One moment during the day that I like to make the most of is my lunch hour. Up to that point in the day, I have been awake 7 hours or so and the juggling in my head has built up quite a bit between work, family and personal matters. I like to clear it all around midday with 30 minutes of meditation; reading my Bible and sitting quietly for a bit, reflecting. It is amazing how refreshed I feel about going through the rest of the day!

I urge you to try it. Find a quiet place, shut off any device that would interrupt your thoughts and feel the moment. It can be liberating to put away your calendar, clock and watch (does anyone wear one anyway anymore?) phone. Take a moment now and then to do what you want without feeling obligated to the tick tock of time; consciously seize moments and make them matter.

What do you do to make moments matter?