"This moment contains all moments." ~C.S. Lewis
According to the 2011 American Time Use Study by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Americans (15 and older) spend an average of 2.8 hours per day watching television.
Let's break that down a bit. We, as Americans, watch TV:
- 19.6 hours per week
- 1,019.2 hours per year
This is the equivalent of 42 days per year friends! And what's most disturbing of all, is that this does not consider the time we waste playing video games, on our smart phones, on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, mindless internet browsing, etc.
Let me admit, I'm just as guilty as the next person out there. I wonder how many hours, or days I've wasted soaking up pure nonsense. How many moments have I missed? How many conversations have passed me by? How many memories have failed to be made?
I'm currently walking through a workbook by Michael Hyatt. Hyatt tells a story, both in his book and on his blog, of CEO Eugene O'Kelly.
O'Kelly was a typical CEO. He worked many hours, was driven, goal oriented and it sounded like he struggled finding a work-life balance. At the age of 53, O'Kelly was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He chose to make his relationships a top priority in the final months of his life. He wanted peace and closure. He wanted "perfect moments."
"According to O’Kelly, a perfect moment is an experience with others when time stands still. It is a time full of the present, when the past is left behind and the future is set aside. It is a special time of focused attention and heightened awareness. Interruptions and distractions are consciously excluded. Cell phones are off. Hearts are wide open. All that matters is this moment—the people I am with and the conversation we are having now." {link to full article below}
What are the "perfect moments" we've missed in our lives because we are too busy or distracted?
Even so, we've all had "perfect moments." We just might have to work harder to recall them, or to even realize them as "perfect moments." Maybe it's a wedding, a birth of a child, a game winning goal, or a recollection of a simple Sunday afternoon at home.
What are some "perfect moments" you've witnessed in your life? (I'd love to hear from you below!)
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My Perfect Moment(s)
As I was visiting her this past Fall we were having a "girls night in" after a busy day of shopping. We were curled up on each end of her couch, cozy under our blankets. I'm not sure what we were talking about over our glasses of wine. It doesn't matter actually. I'll admit I was startled a bit when she draped her legs atop of mine—it's something I don't do as an adult...just drape my legs over a friend. But after a moment, I smiled, realizing the beauty and the richness of the moment.
I was taken back to our childhood, and reminded of the depth and breadth of our relationship. The memories of late night conversations. The sleepovers. The movie nights. The special moments only childhood playmates share. And I realized, although we are in our 30's now, deep down we are still those 7-year-old girls giggling in our sleeping bags so many years ago.
#2. A few weeks ago after an afternoon of sledding, I had to coax our 6-year-old nephew off of the hill. It was time to go ice skating. As we were trudging up the hill, dragging his sled behind him he breathlessly said, "Aunt Jenn, I'm so exhausted I just can't go ice skating today." I looked down and responded with agreement.
He asked if I would carry his sled. Who could say "no" to those sweet brown eyes looking up at me? Moments passed in silence as we made our trek back up the hill. Then with excitement in his voice he said, "I have the perfect idea of what we could do instead!"
"What?" I replied.
"Let's go to Hawaii and go to a day spa for a massage."
"That's perfect! When is our flight?"
He responded, "Whenever we want...I have my own private jet!"
We both giggled as we approached the top of the hill, knowing how silly our little dream was and that we had a plane to catch.
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You see, these "perfect moments" are not grand. They are moments when time stands still. Where nothing else matters. Just that moment.
They are moments that we will miss if we are behind computer screens, iPhones, iPads, or zoned out in front of Television sets. So let's break free of technology. Let's not wait until the end of our lives to realize what we've missed. Let's make more "perfect moments" today!
Much love dear ones,
~JAE
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Source of inspiration for this post was an article written by Michael Hyatt, a New York Times best selling author, former CEO of Thomas Nelson and an expert on leadership, publishing, productivity and social media.
