Registering a Moment

Describe a special moment you have experienced in the last week or two?
Was it with someone? Was it an accomplishment or achievement?
Was it something you saw or observed? Was it an activity?

Our Experience

Some of the best conversations Libby and I have come from telling each other something special that has happened. It is becoming one of our better habits. Taking the time to be present to our experiences is the first step.

We are both better people when we pay attention to our special moments. We are more grateful, less anxious, more relaxed and just more fun. And we are definitely better friends when we have the space and freedom to share our special moments with each other. Libby was telling me about one this morning.

“I was going on a walk the other day and I saw a woman coming toward me whom I often see walking through the neighborhood. She was dressed just like me – a pink sweatshirt and Capri leggings. As we got nearer I said, “Great outfit!”

“Thank you,” she replied. “I was thinking the same thing about yours.”

“So, we stopped and chatted for a few minutes. I found out that she has lived in the neighborhood for fifteen years, lives alone and has one adult daughter. She thanked me for speaking and said that people don’t seem very friendly these days and that I was the first person who has spoken to her. She asked me if I would be willing to walk with her sometime and gave me her phone number”

If you are an introvert that might have been a special moment in the negative direction. But for Libby it was golden. Grandkids give each of us tons of special moments but I will resist sharing one. A couple times a week a retired friend picks me up as well as another friend who cannot drive because of vision and takes us to Planet Fitness. We split up to do our own workouts (since mine requires massive weights) and meet up 45-50 minutes later. If we go in the morning, we will often go to the Subway two doors down for lunch. We were early the other morning and were the only ones in line. As the server was taking our orders it occurred to me that we must appear quite the trio in our workout clothes.

So, I said to the server, “Can you believe that we three old men still live independently?”

She laughed and we made other jokes about aging.

As I collected my lunch, I noticed that one friend was talking with an elderly woman sitting alone in a corner. Being eighty-three years old, she was delighted to hear our conversation and had to weigh in to get the recognition she deserved.

When she left, she said, “I hope you find your way home.”

To which we replied, “If we can find the car we will be able to get home.”

That may not seem like a special moment to you, especially if you are too busy to notice your life. But being with friends and bringing some amusement to an elderly woman who was alone was wonderful.

Have you noticed any special moments recently?

Have you created any special moments recently?