Freeze Frame!
By Stephen Doherty
October 25th, 2020
How did it get so late so soon? It’s night before it’s afternoon.–Dr. Seuss
December is here before it’s June. My goodness how the time has flewn.
How did it get so late so soon?
My daughter scored a great summer gig two years ago as she and her friend were summer club house hostesses at The Sanctuary Golf Course in Castle Pines Colorado. The Sanctuary is one of the most exclusive and most beautiful private golf courses in the country. You get to play it only if invited by the owner. At the end of the summer, she was given one round of golf, for a foursome, as her year-end bonus. She didn’t hesitate to invite her grandfather who was an avid lifetime golfer but had never played The Sanctuary. It was certainly on his bucket list. Julia got to enjoy a fabulous round of golf with her grandfather as they both chalked up an unforgettable day.
A few days ago, my daughter casually remarked to me, “I think God got me that job at The Sanctuary so that I could give grandpa that round of golf!” I wasn’t surprised at this comment because my daughter’s favorite saying since she was a little girl was, “Everything happens for a reason, daddy!” It could forever be debated who the biggest winner of that golf sojourn was but suffice to say it will loom forever large for both of them.
At my core, I’m a simple guy who lives by a pretty simple credo. Of the many roles I’ve played as a father, none was (and still is) as important as being the steward and producer of our family’s highlight reels. Regardless of your life’s story-the greatest moments of your life are mere drops in the ocean of your total experience. The only legacy anyone leaves behind is a bag of gold nugget memories that can be cashed in when needed by those we loved the most.
I pity those poor souls forced to face life’s worst moments with an empty bag. Because two things are certain. One, those hard times will be visited upon each and every one of us. And two, those precious memories are the only currency we’ll have to buy safe passage beyond those moments. Paul Anka was right. “For memories are times that we borrow, to spend when we get to tomorrow.”
Life is a lot like the difficult moments we’ll all share and experience when loved ones leave us and we sift through the remnants of their lives. When we’re done, we leave with an armful of precious pictures, tokens, trinkets, etc., while leaving behind a truckload full of “stuff.” Life is no different. When we close our eyes and drift back to special moments-they are so precious and valuable because they are so rare.
This isn’t meant to suggest that daily life isn’t fun and enjoyable but the moments we mark are the moments that take our breath away. The moments that make the highlight reel are brief but breathtaking. Few, but epic. Rare, but utterly unforgettable. The greatest moments of our lives are the ones we can close our eyes and revisit with the clarity of yesterday that can still explode each and every sense.
The reason I offer this reminder is that if we’re paying attention–we can recognize these rare occurrences as they unfold and elevate the magnitude of the moment at that moment. I’ve caught myself on many occasions just going “WHOA!” as I find myself immersed in a piece of time that is instantly forever epic.
I know people and I’ve seen people that might be present for great events…and barely register it. To me, nothing is more tragic than being there for life’s greatest moments…and somehow still missing them. Learn and embrace the concept of Carpe Diem, and you’ll learn not just to seize the moment–but to drive them!
If we take care of the moments, the years will take care of themselves.Maria Edgeworth
