Rear-view mirror

 

Driving home from school one night I was looking in the rear view mirror and noticed the most amazing sunset. It was dark pink, almost red. It made me want to turn around and just watch it but I knew that I couldn't very well drive that way so I thought I would just look at it when I got home. I was in a hurry to get on with whatever I had to do-- as usual. As I progressed toward home, (driving East) I noticed that the colors were getting more and more intense and I was dying to watch it. I managed to snap a few photos with my phone at a stoplight, but couldn't do it justice. Just a few minutes from home the sun was almost down and the sunset had dissipated. When I pulled into the driveway, I also realized that due to positioning of our home, we don't have a great view of the sunsets. Too many trees and homes in the way. I felt a little let down as I walked inside.

It occurred to me as I was looking through photos and saw this one, that my life is like that sunset. If I am not careful, I will miss the beautiful, special; poignant moments that happen because I am in such a hurry to move on to something else. My life is especially busy with the mundane day to day tasks of living in a house with 9 other humans. BUT it is also rich and full of wonderful moments that if I don't stop and recognize them for what they are, I will miss them. Looking through my rear-view mirror was only a glimpse of what that amazing sunset was like, and if I had only stopped for a few moments to appreciate it fully, I would have the full memory, instead of just a glimpse. I feel like this past year has been like that sunset. I gave birth to my sweet babies over 14 months ago, and yet it feels like only a moment ago. I hope that I don't get so wrapped up in the day to day necessities and distractions that I forget to stop and enjoy the moments. That is all our lives really are, a whole bunch of moments and it is up to us to stop and take the time to really appreciate and learn from them.