The Miraculous Wonder In Each Moment

You might be taking this for granted.

We're only here for a short time. It's quite amazing, really. We appear from nothing, birthed into existence. Before we know it, we are walking, talking, and curiously getting to know this wild and wonderful world.

In what seems like a blink of an eye, we've left that youthful wonder behind. We've gotten all serious under the weight of modern life, building a career, paying the bills and tending to our family responsibilities. We unconsciously forget how to have fun.

We reflect back now on what seems like a blur:

• Where did the time go?

• How did it all go by so fast?

• Why didn't I let myself enjoy the journey more?

But one of the most startling realisations we encounter is when we realise, with the perspective of time, that all those mundane, everyday moments were our life!

This is weird, as those moments seem like nothing special, maybe even dull or insignificant, as society has conditioned us that what makes a happy life are the peak experiences, like getting married, landing the dream job, or travelling the world. But really, those experiences are a minority in the grand scheme of things.

It's the regular every day where you spend most of your life. So why not get that right? And what does "right" even mean in this instance? Only you can answer that for you.

Another thing I have come to see, over time, is that the struggles often later stand out as pivotal moments of meaning. We come to appreciate these, and would not change them if we had the choice, as those challenges pushed us to grow and build the character we are so proud of today. Those moments of difficulty make you strong.

But one of the biggest insights I want to share with you today is this:

There is a miraculous wonder in the everyday moments of your life...

The people you share your days with, the communities you are in, and the places you frequent make up a particular mix, a unique blend in the history of time that will never be repeated. Those people never have before and never will be together again in the same exact scenario. We are all constantly changing and growing; new people appear, and old ones disappear.

Do not take that for granted, the 100% uniqueness of each given moment. And that, my friend, is truly wonderful.

So cherish those characters that make up your life, as they won't always be around in the same format you may know and love today. They will move on in some form or another, and so will you.

Looking through the context of one of those peak experiences puts it into perspective. I think back on my wedding day and how the stars truly had to align to make that event happen.

If the wedding were held today, it would not be the same; I've changed in many ways. Some people have sadly passed away, and some friends we have lost touch with. I had a certain younger energy about me then, which I no longer feel today in a different stage of life.

But at the time, you don't realise the gravity of this fact. It's when you look back you gain perspective.

That’s why this insight is so powerful:

You can use it intentionally to fill your days with more meaning, as you recognise the extraordinary in something never to be repeated.  

Do you want to know another way to trigger this sentimental feeling?

Pull out your phone and look at some old photos from 5+ years ago.

• Where were you?

• Who were you with?

• How was the weather?

• What were you wearing?

• What made each of those moments so special?

• Or how can you now see something special in what, at the time, was nothing special?

This week, an old photo popped up on my iPhone memories, it was my wife and I chilling on a sun-drenched beach in Phuket, Thailand. "Gosh, we look so young!" my wife exclaimed.

It hit home for me:

I will never again be 29 years old, having just quit my job to travel the world, and newly married, on a beach in Thailand, with near unlimited freedoms.

I've since set new courses, like having children, that make that old sense of freedom feel impossible.

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Reflection

Tap into your inner wisdom:

• How can you bring this insight of everyday wonder into how you show up today?

• How would you show up differently knowing this now?

• How would you treat people differently?

• What projects would you pursue?

An example comes up for me:

I got invited to an event this week. I really couldn’t be bothered going, as honestly, it’s exhausting going out later at night these days and dealing with my little kids the next day, so it’s much easier to just stay home and do nothing.

But then I recognised that this particular gathering has a unique bunch of people who I appreciate, who are rarely all together under one roof, enjoying themselves.

So why let my adult seriousness get in the way of having a “rare” fun night out?

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