Family moments.
They make up this life we live, yet too often the most significant ones seem to pass by unnoticed or unappreciated.
Yet some of the most lasting memories are made in the in midst of ordinary, everyday life.
One of the best ways to slow ourselves down is to recognize those small moments as they are happening and make every effort to fully enjoy them.
This is something I used to be TERRIBLE at, but am slowly learning how to master.
A Family moment to remember…
One of my favorite examples is when a fierce thunderstorm hit our neighborhood in the middle of the night. It wasn’t long before our then two and four year-old little girls were both huddled between my husband and I in our bed.
The storm raged outside while the four of us snuggled close. As I listened to the ferocity of the wind and rain, I also reveled in the sound of tiny whispers awed by the power of the storm.
I suddenly had a longing to capture this moment in time and stay in it for as long as possible. Even though I knew it would be awhile before any of us would get to sleep, that the morning would come all too early, and that my to-do list wouldn’t be shorter because I slept less; I also knew I wouldn’t trade this for a hundred good nights of sleep.
Read “Time Well Spent“ for more on making the most of family moments.
Ten years from now, I had a sneaking suspicion I would be yearning for a moment like this–tiny bodies cuddled close, completely safe and secure simply because we were with them.
So, I held them tight and I soaked it in.
Moments turned into memories…
I wasn’t able to make that moment last forever. It passed on by, as they always do.
But the great thing about moments is they can be turned into memories. And it seems to me, the better I am at living in the moment, the more precious that memory becomes.
On the other hand, if I miss the moment or brush it away as insignificant or unworthy, I lose the memory. I don’t always get this right.
But on that night, in that moment, I captured a memory I will never forget.
I know life will keep giving me opportunities to turn moments into memories. I’m going to keep doing my best to take advantage of them.
Do you have a “moments turned memory story” of your own? We would love to hear about it! Please share in the comments below.
Small moments—those quiet breaths between chaos, the laughter over mismatched socks, the soft “I’m here” in a hug—are where life often shows up most fully. They don’t demand perfection; they ask presence. And in those fragments of everyday, we find belonging, connection, and love made real.
Perfectly said Jamie! I couldn’t agree more.