I vividly remember the comment, one parent to another. The setting was Jupiter Florida. The sun hung low in the sky and while warm, it was anything but a sweltering South Florida day. As we watched his daughter play softball, cheering her and the team at every opportunity, he turned left me with a statement.
“Life does not get better than this, ever.”
In the flow of the moment, I was caught off guard. What this the best life had to offer?
I have come to appreciate the great moments. For me, life’s best come when I witness someone I love succeeding. With the benefit of time, loss, and celebration, I treasure the wisdom within his words.
There is a natural irony when we do not take time to remember. We will take time to remember, either by choice or through circumstances. I find my circumstances are often a variation of the psalmist lament; “alongside Babylon’s rivers we sat on the banks; we cried and cried, remembering the good old days in Zion.” (Psalm 137.1) There are lessons I find helpful to remember and act on.
Be fully present in as many moments as possible. For me, this means setting my phone on mute, turning it over, and putting it in a safe, slightly out of side location. No pictures, no social media chats, just being present. There are moments where I need to engage, however the lesson remains. In whatever I am doing, be fully and completely present in the moment that is now.
Take time to appreciate the past. The goal is not to live in the past, but to learn to recognize what made the past successful. There are lessons on being present, indicators of what makes a moment special, and an appreciation for the moment at hand which are understood with time and reflection.
When a moment arrives, celebrate as if your life depends on it! It is the greatest gift you can give to others involved. It also etches the touch of love, kindness, and relationships on one’s heart and mind.
