A not-necessarily comprehensive list of large life moments
Graduations
Weddings
Births
Moving houses
Changing jobs
Traveling
These major life events tend to demand lots of attention and years of plans that culminate in one day. Hours of thought, kinetic energy, and coordinating go into making everything perfect. For many of these events, we plan how we look, think about how we ought to act, and practice in the mirror for what we’ll say (besides births, unless you’re just practicing yelling etc.).
A definitely-not comprehensive catalog of the little minutes
Waking up
Seeing your family
Buying groceries
Traffic
Working
Spending time with friends
You encounter at least one thing on this list every single day—show me a person who doesn’t, and I’ll raise a skeptical eyebrow (that’s why I put sleeping on the list, so I could claim that. Unless it’s a college student . . .).
Most of the items on this list are habits. You and I have woken up every morning for so long (our whole lives, actually), that we don’t think about it when it happens. Just like we don’t realize we’re fuming at traffic, complaining about work, and gossiping about friends. It’s all so second nature we don’t even notice.
But shouldn’t we concentrate on the daily moments of life with as much effort and attention as we plan a wedding or buy a house?
If there are flowers missing from a bouquet at your wedding, it will not likely ruin anyone’s life. But if you’re rude to your cashier at the grocery store every week for an entire year, think of the emotional havoc you’ve wreaked.
Check your daily habits to see if you want to sign your name to them when you die, because you’ll have to explain to Someone why you did everything.
Live the little moments with as much intentionality as you live the big ones.