Celebrating Small Moments

As we walk (and sometimes race through) life's journey, there are many moments to celebrate. Some are stellar, some ordinary. The ordinary ones of a routine day can be the jsut right ones that allow for a spark to battle humdrum type of days. From one of those everyday routine days, I found a story to celebrate. 

It was rise and shine early yesterday for another annual doctor visit. My first notice of the day was the coldness of the tiled floor in the bathroom-as cold as the floor in the doctor's examination room on Monday. This  signaled that it must be extra chilly outside. A step into my car confirmed my belief. The temperature may have been 8 degrees but I was ready to brave the cold. Ugg gloves, matching headband, warm boot, and double layers under my coat were my protectors against Mother Nature's blast. My first gratitude of the day came when I turned on the heated seats, heated steering wheel, and warm air blowers. These were enough to think positive thoughts during a humdrum, errand-filled day.

When I felt secure against the cold, I thought of my breath. Slowing it down would make me more aware of my surroundings and a positive mindset. As I breathed in, I relaxed into the warm seat. As I breathed out, a stream of white smoke filled the air in front of me. Brr! I repeated the practice another time and once again my breath created a small burst of whitish air. I thought of the warmth of the yoga studio where breath is emphasized to still the mind. That thought served me well. Continuing on the highway, I noticed the sun's glaring blaze. Sunglasses were in order, making me think about the upcoming Oscars. Seriously, this day as cold as it was (lowest in 60 years), made me appreciate the small moments in life when life is full of just the ordinary.

I usually rush to appointments and today was no exception but all of a sudden, I caught white billowy puffs against a bright blue sky. They were streaming in a pattern similar to the birds that fly south. There was nothing else in the sky but the flow of whitish smoke. I thought of my breath once again but what I saw was so much larger and organized. I wanted to follow the line of white puffs but could not stop. Then, I realized that the pattern was not an out-of-the-ordinary one. My thoughts streamed as the smoke continued.

How many times were the puffs in the sky visible to me? How many cars ahead of me thought about this pattern? How many moments pass when I don't see life in front of me.

I celebrate the small moments today that make me stop, pause, and reflect on where I am going and how fast I am attempting to arrive at my destination. Slowing down the pace may be the answer because you never know when one small moment stares you in the face and leads you to an aha moment in life.


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