Just the Ordinary Moments. . .

Path To SolitudePath To Solitude ~ Arrangement by Dan Gibson (Solitudes)

(Please click for background music as you read this message of H.I.M.)

While I was recently sitting in the oversized chair waiting for my blood work to be taken, which determines if I am healthy enough to proceed with my next chemo treatment, I noticed an inspirational plaque that read, “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.”  As I thought about this phrase, I agree there have certainly been breath-taking moments that I am sure we can all recall at some moment in time that we have experienced. However, we should never forget, or take for granted, just the ordinary moments in our daily life such as walking, breathing, eating, hearing, seeing, and, yes, even sleeping. Every part of our being is a miracle, when you think about it.  What greater breath-taking moment should there be than life, itself.  In fact, when you think about it, there really are no just ordinary moments – as every moment is precious! 

My physical well-being has changed forever, I will never physically be the same as I was, BUT I am so very grateful that I can still wake up every morning and breath on my own, walk on my own, hear and see without aids, and be still be self-sufficient without depending on some kind of medical or mechanical device. How precious life is and, yet, so often taken for granted! Our culture seems to be more focused on bigger, better, fancier, and more ~ bigger house, better job, fancier car, more things and stuff, but none of this brings true happiness and contentment. With all the material possessions and pleasures that are obtainable, so many people still are walking around in search of moments where there is meaning and purpose in their lives. One of the riches kings ever was King Solomon. He did not have a want in the world. And yet with all his wealth, pleasures, and possessions he concluded, “I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind” (Ecclesiates 2:17 NIV).

When you are diagnosed with a life changing diagnosis, like cancer, your perspective on what is or is not important dramatically changes. The worldly possessions you might thought at one time were worthwhile are no longer significant or sufficient. The must do’s and must have’s no longer seem to be really that necessary. Your desire or interest to make any type of purchase, for that matter, becomes irrelevant. The time you have “in the moment,” however, is very important. In particular, the time you spend and devote to others like your loved ones as well as the desire to want to help others by encouraging them, listening to them, and loving them is so very precious.

Ordinary moments I now enjoy more often is just sitting in the backyard and listening to nature as the choir in the trees echoes the song of joy that the mourning dove, cardinal, robin or the sparrow sings as they welcome a new day. Looking out our kitchen window to view the majestic, street-lined trees dressed in their emerald greens as they begin to change into their festive fall colours of crimson red, pumpkin orange and gold is a marvel. Sitting down over a cup of tea or having lunch, while listening and laughing with my loved ones, is comforting and encouraging. These may be considered just ordinary moments, but they are just some of the ordinary moments that are so precious to me more than ever.

Recently, I re-read Mitch Albom’s beautiful story about his time with one of his former professors, who was dying from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; also known as “Lou Gehrig’s disease after the legendary baseball player back in the 1930’s). The book is called, “Tuesdays with Morrie.” If you have not read it, you are gonna want to. I am sure you will conclude, just like Mitch discovered, and so have I, how important just the ordinary moments truly are in our lives. For it is not the pleasures, the possessions nor the places that will take our breath away, but the sheer beauty of breath within each of us. Rather than being so concerned about the breath-taking moments, shouldn’t we make every breath we take more momentous, even if it is just an ordinary moment?

Each moment and each breath I take

is a miracle each day.

Lord, as I kneel before you now,

Let me serve You, this I pray. 
~ By Bonita ~