Gratitude and Reflection on the Quietest Moments

I think it's a pretty normal human sentiment to crave excitement and a life filled with activities and action.

And there's nothing wrong with that... life is short, so it only makes sense to get what we can from it!

However, I am "one of those people" for whom it all gets to be a bit much, sometimes. But that doesn't mean that I want to take a nap (although that can be great, sometimes!), it just means that I seek stillness.

Yes, I've talked about this before, but people often misunderstand what I am talking about, interpreting my words as seeking stillness as an "activity."

What I seek is actually the absence of activity and structure and such.

It's those amazing moments when you round a corner on a hiking trail and suddenly see an amazing vista in front of you, and you just want to stop time and drink it all in.

In such moments, it's not just the view that makes the moment. Suddenly the temperature is just right, and there's a scent in the air that feels somehow perfect, and the insects and birds make just the right sound... and so, you just stand there and drink your fill of an amazing moment.

And you also know that it doesn't matter how much you try, it will never be replicated.

These moments usually take us by surprise, and they often take our breath away... and sometimes we don't recognize how perfect they are until much later when we think back on them and "rerun the clip" in our minds.

Perhaps they are to be treasured and remembered so vividly because they are so rare.

The first time I visited Seattle was in the month of January, all the way back in 1987 — usually a horrible month to be in this corner of the world.

But one day it was just crystal clear out, and very cold, and I sat in a 3rd floor café in Pike Place Market, overlooking the Puget Sound and the distant snow covered Olympic range... and it not only felt like I was inside a "movie moment," it felt like I had "come home," after what seemed like lifetimes away.

That moment imprinted so strongly on me that — almost 20 years later — I uprooted my life and moved to this area.

Where I have now been, for 18 years.

Not quite the same view, taken circa 2008

A few weeks ago, I wrote a bit about "memories that almost feel unreal" and mentioned someone I knew in University, a very long time ago.

Whereas we had a "connection" those days are "anchored" by a quiet non-descript moment where we were sitting on the stone steps by the main campus mall, eating lunch between classes.

Normally it was quite noisy and busy in early afternoon, but suddenly it seemed particularly quiet, even the traffic seemed momentarily muffled. For a short while, everything seemed perfect, in some way I can't describe.

Of course, our lives were far from perfect, but that moment was. She, quite possibly, had the bluest eyes I've seen.

So why am I bringing this up again?

In this hectic world of busy-ness and frequent stress, having these "crystal moments" to think back on and sit with offers a sense of peace and healing wholeness.

I can't describe it any better. You either know, or you don't...

Thanks for stopping by, and have a great remainder of your week!

How about you? Do you have any "crystal moments" that always stay with you... or even haunt you? Do they ofer you respite, when you feel stressed? Leave a comment if you feel so inclined — share your experiences — be part of the conversation!

(All text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is ORIGINAL CONTENT, created expressly for this platform — Not posted elsewhere!)

***Created at 2024.03.12 00:50 PDT
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