Every now and again, the little moments can make the biggest difference. Life can be a big, complicated thing but it's the little things that can make life seem less complicated. Sometimes the best moments in life are the ones that we don't take the time to acknowledge.
It's easy to look forward to the big things and the big events. Graduating high school, getting engaged, turning 21, starting a career. Most people see the big life events as the moments they will cherish and gain important memories from. Constantly waiting for the next big moment to happen will mean that life is passing you by. Take the time to enjoy the small moments that you may experience everyday. Those small moments can mean the most to you or be a nice memory to remember when you're older.
Some of my greatest memories with friends are, of course, the big moments like attending my first concert or going to the school dance. But looking back, it's the little memories that mean the most, like staying up all night to watch the sunrise or just going to get ice cream at 2 a.m.
Those little moments are the times that I treasure the most. Those are the times that I would go back to. Those are the times that I felt truly happy. Life doesn't always have to be about waiting for the next big thing to happen, because in the mean time there will be a lot of important little things happening all around you. And if you aren't paying attention, those moments could be gone.
The important moments don't even have to be things that happen with other people or things you would think are important. My favorite thing in the entire world is the moment I never know is coming. Waking up in the middle of the night, and looking out my window to find that it's snowing. It is completely silent and beautiful that it almost seems fake. You have no idea that it's happening until you look, and for whatever reason, it makes your blankets seem way more comfortable.
The birds chirping in the morning, a full moon, the first flowers of spring, hot chocolate on a rainy day, crunching leaves. These little things can make the most beautiful and cherished moments, if you only let them. Too often do we focus on the distracting and overwhelming situations that demand all of our attention, and too often are we oblivious to the beautifully simple moments that constantly surround us. When we were little, we couldn't wait to grow up and have our own independence. Then we get that independence in college and race to graduate and start our careers. Most of our lives are spent trying to race through and start a new chapter in our lives that we miss everything that is going on around us.
Not that I am saying you shouldn't get excited for the big moments, but maybe take more time to enjoy the little ones. Whether you are brewing coffee in the morning before work or looking at the stars on a night walk with your dog, enjoy it. Don't lose track of life while waiting for what's coming next.
