If you had to name the most rewarding moment in your life, what would it be? When you said "I do" at your wedding, when you got accepted into that fancy university with a full scholarship, or when the doctor told you that you were expecting your first child? You'd be surprised just how much rests on the answer to this question.
Whether it's an achievement or an event, many people feel like they're living their lives in pursuit of one monumental moment. It could be starting a new career or planning for retirement. It could be traveling to a certain place for the first time or skiing down a mountain for the last time. It could be something as trivial as reading a book that had been on your wish list for years or finally getting around to fully decorating your bedroom.
But there's an interesting phenomenon that occurs when people are in pursuit of that monumental moment: they often lose sight of everything else. They forget the small moments, like taking someone out to lunch just because they're special, or going with their spouse to pick up their elderly parents, or kissing their newborn baby goodnight. They get so caught up in the pursuit of the big moment that they forget to stop and appreciate everything that got them there.
In my opinion, these small moments are more important than any monumental achievement because they're what change our lives in quieter, more subtle ways. They can be as simple as saying hello to a stray dog on your morning walk or as unique as performing a solo in your school's musical production. They're when we show someone else that we care, or when we help to make another person's life just a little bit easier. But no matter how small or seemingly insignificant these moments may be, they deserve all of the attention that we can give them because each one is enough to change someone's life forever.
We need to remember that a moment can change a life. Because through these moments of quiet realization, we discover who we really are and what we're truly capable of. They can both teach us a great deal about ourselves and help us develop into better people. And in the end, they're the only things that really matter.
-- written by Adam, age 17
Now is Time to Live Life as It Comes
Life's short; live it as you like, not as others say you should. Today is a present: unwrap it and enjoy it! Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst; the best will happen if you prepare for it. When you worry, it's a waste of time; you should be thinking of something to do. This is a great day to help someone, whether or not they will remember who did. Life is short, so enjoy it while you can!
Make This a Great Day
Sometimes we wake up in the morning and think it will be one of those days that we have to fight just to get through. We've got classes, homework, chores, appointments and errands... or maybe our car broke down again. The last three weeks have been miserable for us and all we hope for is that this week won't be any better. But life has a funny way of humbling us, and it does it every day.
I think I've found a cure for the common "bad day." It's just two words: "Make this a great day!" We need to remember that we have control over our lives and we determine how good or bad it will be. If we lay in bed complaining the day was going to be miserable then chances are it will be. But if we get up with a positive attitude, look forward to the new things that will happen, smile at someone and have an open mind, then it could actually turn out to be one of those days where we look back and say things couldn't have been better.