To Celebrate Those Moments

You cry and scream and you stomp your feet and you shout. You say, ‘You know what? I’m giving up, I don’t care.’ And then you go to bed and you wake up and it’s a brand new day, and you pick yourself back up again.
Nicole Scherzinger

I (Tom) took a long walk around my neighborhood on Sunday morning. It was a nearly perfect fall day. The sky was bright and blue. The sun illuminated the quickly changing leaves and made their red, orange and gold colors shine beautifully. I loved it.

Everything in my world was great during that walk. I didn’t want it to end.

After my walk I read the Sunday paper. My habit when I do is to ease into the news by turning to the comics section first. I savor those moments, too, simply because they provide a more gentle start to the day. But within minutes that quickly changes as I view the headlines:

Man Shot in Head

Three Dead in Fire

Kenya Mall Becomes War Zone …

Roaring Waters Leave Deep Scars in Colorado
And I already long for those moments of respite as I walk around the neighborhood and laugh at the comics. In those moments life is aligned the way it’s meant to be.

It’s those moments that keep me going.

The night before was another painful one. An especially painful one. Before I fell asleep I desperately wanted the day to end, for sleep – and relief – to come, at least for a few hours. I just wanted the day to be over. I longed for a new day, to start all over again.

But in those dark hours of agony and desperation, I have learned something vital. I have learned to celebrate those moments, fleeting as they so often are, when everything is in alignment.

When I’m not in pain or anguish.
When the sun is shining brightly.
When the leaves begin to turn brilliantly colorful.
When I can ease into the day.
When no bad news has yet taken the solace away.

I appreciate the moments so much more because I know they can be fleeting. I savor their goodness because of the blessed hope and comfort they bring.

• Photo by Matt Seymour on Unsplash