The Small Things

Hey there,

I realized something the other day - something that I hope to take with me throughout the duration of this trip as well as the rest of my life. I realized that sometimes the best moments in life aren't the ones that are supposed to be important - sometimes they aren't the ones that are glamours or adventurous. Sometimes the best times in the world are simple moments that we take for granted, that we pass by without even thought.

Yesterday I was driving with some people to Stockies, a shopping center down the street from the Uni. It had been raining for days (and still is) but for a moment there were clear skies. I watched as rain continued to fall, and those around me called it a sun shower. As I sat in the middle seat, in the very back of a very small car I realize that it is moments like these that will make up my trip here in Australia and the rest of my life.

I looked out the window and saw the mountains towering above, I saw the sun beaming down on us and I heard the loud music blasting from the car stereo. I looked around and saw people laughing and caught my own reflection in the rear view mirror. I looked at myself, at the girl staring back at me and realized how far I've come in just a short time. My skin is a little tanner, my hair a little longer, but those weren't the changes I was seeing in the person looking back at me. I smiled and softly sung the words of an upbeat song.

In that car ride I was living in the moment - which is why I think I enjoyed it so much. I wasn't concerned with what might be, what is or what could be. I wasn't thinking about what happened yesterday or what's happening in an hour. All that mattered was what was right there, right then.

I've had a few moments like that in the past and they stick with me for awhile. For some reason they typically occur in a car. One specific time I remember was toward the end of my freshman year in college. Alex and I had to get some boxes to pack up our Quinnipiac lives and move back home. Her good friend Michael picked us up and took us to get our boxes and some ice cream. I remember having that exact same feeling - the sun on my skin, the sound of music and laughter. It's one of those moments, for some reason, that has stuck with me all this time. I think it's because in that moment I was living completely in the moment - something I rarely find myself able to do.

So I guess that's my challenge for myself while I'm here. I want to have more moments like that, moments where I catch myself smiling for no reason other than because of the happiness that surrounds living life. I want to acknowledge living, acknowledge the small moments that compile our lives - the ones that fill in the adventures and larger events. It is in these moments that we discover who we are, that we practice who we want to be, where we test the waters and where we grow. It is in these simple moments we have the ability to find the most happiness, to love the person we are and to appreciate the gift of living.

I hope that we can do this together - that you will also take the time to notice those moments where you feel most alive - those moments we often completely disregard. I'd love to hear about those moments and how you react to them - do you get the same feeling?

I love you all & miss you terribly..

I'm off to appreciate those moments & fill my stomach with some wonderful Australian grub! ;)