Moments

Living here has really been rather amazing. I can sit here at my kitchen table and look out over Mobile Bay to the north. I can also go to the south side of the campground and walk the beach along the Gulf of Mexico - which I do pretty much every morning. At this time of year both sunrise and sunset can be viewed from our beach. Wow. Just wow. What a wonder. I have rather gotten used to it - accustomed to the view and to the privilege and to my routine - but I'm very glad that the familiarity has not stolen my sense of wonder.

...

This is our last day. One month we have been here.

I have been only somewhat successful in capturing the experience, but I have indeed experienced it. I have enjoyed the NOW - even as I had hoped. I have lived in the moment. Not every moment, of course. I've wasted moments, but oh, I've savored moments, too. I've celebrated moments.

Some of those moments were small ones - just a little something special here and here. Or maybe not even so special, but maybe just interesting. Intriguing. A tidbit. A moment of noticing something. Of learning. Of discovery.

But oh, there were big moments, too. Grand moments. Transcendent. Moments that spanned several minutes. Moments that moved me to tears. Moments when my face hurt from so much smiling. Perfect moments and not-so-perfect ones. Moments that I simply had to write about. Moments that I simply could not write about. Moments that I dare not lose by trying to capture them.