Jordan and I took the kids for a walk after dinner several nights ago. There was a storm brewing, and the comfortable weather we enjoyed on the first part of our journey quickly turned cold as frigid, moist air moved our way. The kids were definitely not excited about braving the elements, and we turned back toward the house sooner than we would have liked. Suddenly, there was a break in the clouds to the west of us, and the sun peaked through for the first time in days. The sun's golden rays graced the bottom of nearby Mt. Dominion, while the top of its peaks remained obscured by thick snowfall. Even the kids realized that this was a special sight, and it was almost like God was sending us a little extra blessing as the slightest of rainbows began to appear on the horizon. We all stood transfixed for several moments before it occurred to me that this was a sight that needed to be captured on film. So off I ran to the house, over 1/4 mile away, racing the setting sun, the shifting clouds and the imminent snowfall - all in an attempt TO DO something with this perfect moment. Sensibly, Jordan and the kids stayed where they were and thoroughly enjoyed this majestic sight as it unfolded before them. I, on the other hand, missed my proverbial window of opportunity, as the sky grew dull and gray shortly before I was able to fetch my camera.
A thought popped into my head as I disappointedly walked back to my family: How often in my quest to not miss out in life have I actually, well, missed out? I've been reading a great book about how kids in these schedule-driven times are so busy DOING that they lack sufficient opportunity TO BE. While it is crucial for children to have unstructured time to play and BE, I'm beginning to realize how important it is for us, too, to step back and savor the moments as they come. It's so easy in our modern age to become preoccupied with the pursuit of the next best thing, while, in reality, some of the most gratifying and special moments of our lives are right in front of us in the form of those early flowers popping through the last of winter's snow, a comforting hug or the infectious joy in a child's smile. How often have I robbed myself of the very things that bring real joy in an effort to experience or have something "better"? After all, isn't it the accumulation of these ordinary, but precious, moments that make a truly satisfying life? I suppose this is just another aspect of learning to be content in all things, a tough lesson in our market-driven, trend-following world.
The photo above was taken a half hour after we returned home from our walk. No, it isn't a stellar, award worthy shot, but seeing the moon through a break in our seemingly ever-present clouds was a view that I was beginning to understand was too good to pass up.
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