Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Joy in the moment

I found this quote on Ali's blog this afternoon:

"...but the biggest mistake I made is the one that most of us make while doing this. I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of the three on them sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages 6, 4, and 1. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in a hurry to get on to the next things: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less." (Anna Quindlen)

When I read this, it totally struck a chord with me. I do that. I don't live in the moment enough. It seems as if my mind is always already onto the next thing.

And I was also struck by connecting this quote to my word for the year: joy.

I wonder how much more joy I would find in the moment, if I paid more attention to it (really lived in it) and didn't rush it along so much.

Just a thought.

3 comments:

Heather M. said...

Thanks for sharing that quote. Wow. It is so powerful and true. Sometimes I feel like I'm rushing Helayna to grow up. You know, when will she reach the next milestone? When will she start sleeping through the night? etc. And then I get scared because I realize how fast time is going already and I need to do that, live in the moment more. What a powerful reminder. Thanks, Leigh.

anita said...

that's the same quote that i liked the most from Ali's blog too! cool! a great goal to have!!!

Eva said...

Yup, great reminder!!