Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments you make.
We long for meaning. Something deeper that will fill the void in our hearts and souls and make us feel happy. Yet, we get caught up in achievements and “stuff” to measure our worth.
You might think – I will be happy once I complete my advanced degree or I will be happy once I own that nice house and drive a nice car. So we work hard and often accomplish what we set out to.
The only problem is, once we get the advanced degree, the nice house, or whatever else was on our list that we thought would make us feel worthy, respected, “seen” and therefore, happy; there is a brief feeling of satisfaction and happiness – but it is not sustainable. Before we know it, we are reaching for something else to make us feel that brief high of happiness.
We are a society of addicts.
Most of us are addicted to at least one thing; food, wine, shopping, sex, pornography or extreme exercise. We use our addiction to comfort us and momentarily fill the void that is craving something meaningful and sustainable.
Meaning is not found in “quick hits,” achievements or by acquiring more stuff. Meaning is found at a deeper level – a heart (emotion) level or a soul (spirit) level.
When something touches our hearts or our souls, whether it is a happy or sad moment, it remains with us in a meaningful way.
Today marks the one year anniversary of the tragic shootings at Sandy Hook school in Newtown, CT. Even though a year has passed, this event still holds the same emotion, sadness and disbelief for me. My heart hurts for the people of Newtown. Nothing over time will ever change the feelings I have about that day as it touched me on a heart level.
As each year draws to a close, I like to take a reflective look at the year and recognize the moments – the things that stand out for me because they touched me on a deeper level.
It is in these moments where meaning is found.
So here they are in no particular order – my 2013 Moments!
- Experiencing a dance trip to Disneyland with my daughter.
- Attending my 25 year High School Reunion. Connecting with people I have not seen in so many years and feeling like no time had passed.
- Sharing an early morning road trip to Mapleridge to be first in line to get a glimpse into our futures with two special friends.
- Dropping my 10 year old son off at school with his best friend. As they both jumped out of the back seat, he opened the front passenger door, climbed in and kissed me goodbye.
- Preparing with my beautiful leaders and presenting the 2013 Team Song – Titanium.
- Getting my picture taken with my HR Team at a meeting knowing it would be my last time with them before they were aware.
- Participating in 2013 ChildRun and seeing my son’s commitment to raise as much money as he could so families would not have to lose a child, like his grandma, grandpa and mom did.
- My birthday – from a butterfly to the most magnificent sunset dinner and the best card I have ever received.
- Completing my first Balance workshop knowing many found value in the experience.
- Celebrating the opening of The Space at Crescent Beach and seeing two special friends realize their dream come true.
- Wrapped up on the couch crying with my son when he was cut in the final round of Atom Rep Hockey.
- Sharing a glass of wine and tears with a dear friend as we toasted to endings and letting go.
- Reading my mom’s book, feeling SO proud of her and a deep appreciation for those who came before me to provide the life I am now so blessed to have.
These are my 13 Moments of 2013. What are yours? Take some time to reflect upon the last year and think about what moments touched your heart or soul.
Beautifully said!!
Thanks Scarlett! And thank you for being with me every step of the way! xo
Lovely moments to cherish forever! Thank you for letting me be part of them. You are an amazing inspiration. Ana
Thank you Ana. 2014 is going to be our year. This time we will toast to new beginning and share tears of JOY! xo
An important message for sure – thanks for the reminder, and for sharing your special memories!
Thank you for reading Nancy. I am sure you could come up with 13 Writers Moments alone! Really looking forward to watching your 2014 unfold. I will be here cheering you on! Diane xo
Beautiful Diane <3 Thank you for sharing the beautiful gift of YOU! And thank you for the forum to share…
Some of my 'moments' ….in no particular order :)
1. witnessing the 'thrill' of excitement as my eldest son's basketball team came from behind to win a game that advanced them on to the provincials last spring.
2. planning and then celebrating my moms 75th surprise birthday party with friends and family from far and wide…she was so surprised and thrilled…it was a special day.
3. sitting with my youngest in emergency waiting to see if his wrist was broken or not…it was…and the next day getting a text from him asking to bring his soccer stuff to school as he was just going to wrap his cast in bubble wrap and play anyways (even though the doctor said no sport for 2 weeks)…he didn't play but his little spirit shone through in that moment :)
4. opening the doors of our new studio to the public after months of preparation and planning…our first class had 11 of us in it and it was such a thrill to see our dream come to life.
5. laying on the floor or our new studio one early Sunday morning with two (and then three) amazing women who came to my aid when I was struck with a kidney stone. They held my hand, wiped my tears, put cold cloths on my face and neck, made me as comfortable as possible and waited with me until the ambulance arrived…they softened the emotional pain as I struggled with the physical pain…truly angels by my side that day.
6. celebrating New Years with my two teenage sons and some family friends…dancing and watching all the kids as they had so much fun together.
7. quiet moments snuggling on the sofa…nowhere to go, nothing to do but enjoy the moment.
8. attending the Deva Premal concert last September for my birthday with my dear friend Diane :)
9. reaching out to offer a hug to a girlfriend in need of a shoulder
Thank you for the opportunity to relive some special moments Diane…a lovely gift xoxo
Oh Edi – Thank you for sharing your moments here with us!! Looks like 2013 had some meaningful and inspirational moments, even though there were some tough ones – most notably water pouring through your ceiling one Sunday evening while making dinner for the boys!! You have emerged at this year end more spectacular than ever. Here’s to an amazing 2014 my dear friend!! xo
I love reading your posts – they are so uplifting and heartfelt! One of my special moments was finally enjoying coffee on the patio with you in Port Moody after 13 years! xox
Yeah! It was great to see you this summer. I am glad you enjoy my posts. Thank you so much for reading! xo
Thank you for sharing these Diane! I feel blessed to be part of a few of these moments – the rehearsal of our team song (so so fun and one of my personal top moments as well for 2013) and the photo of the HR team at our meeting last January. I like how you demonstrated in your post that not all moments need to be particularly happy ones. It’s the moments that move us – to tears or to laughter – that are the real special ones.
I’m bullet proof, nothing to lose – fire away, fire away – We are Titanium!! xo