Fleeting Moments

I love to take pictures! Since Christmas 2007, when my husband gave me my camera, I have taken close to 3500 pictures. Most are of my son, of course, but nevertheless, that is a lot of pictures.

But, recently, I have noticed that there are moments when a camera is not available to catch a memory. They are usually fleeting moments that last but an instant or two. They happen at all hours of the day, and in various places, and are never scheduled. All we can do is take another moment and imprint them on our memories.

These moments are moments like today at church. My friend Laura went to retrieve a donut for her little ones but never made it back to her seat. She had one child on one knee and another child on another knee and a third between her knees and they were all sharing the donut. It was a precious scene. I just watched telling myself to never forget that moment. Another moment was shared with the entire congregation as we gathered around the same family and prayed with them and for them.

It occurred to me just how precious these memories are as Snugglebug and I grocery shopped last week. Normally, he likes to throw the items on the floor and giggle as I bend over to pick them up. He also likes to reach and grab things off the shelves. (You've all seen it or been there!) But this day he was helping me. He would take the item and drop it in the cart. Never once did he drop it on the floor. Then in the produce section, I let him pick out the yellow squash. He would grab a squash and drop it in the bag. If it was a bad one, I would pull it out while he reached for yet another one. I suddenly realized that I can't catch every moment on camera. There are those moments that will only exist in memory.

Moments like my sister's son pulling up a stool and my sister allowing him to measure out all the ingredients in a dish she was making for dinner. Or moments like when my friend Liz set aside her chores to help me put Snugglebug's splint back on.

Even as I write this I realize that I miss dozens if not hundreds of these fleeting moments a day. I am too busy doing other things or trying to get to other things to realize the moment is a special one. I wonder just how different would life be if these moments did not go unnoticed. What would happen if I took a moment to imprint those moments into my memory?

The phrase "live in the moment" suddenly makes sense to me. To live in the moment is to realize how special that moment is and to plant it so deep in memory that it is never to be forgotten. All too often I speed through my day, multi-tasking, and planning the next activity. I take those moments for granted.

I've been replaying Snugglebug dropping squash into a bag all week. I don't ever want to forget it. That one memory has made me smile so many times. I can only imagine how much more positive my thoughts would be if all my thoughts were imprints like that one.