Magic Moments

"Have you ever had one of those moments when you remember you are alive? You know, one of those moments when you are completely present in the moment and totally aware of your surroundings? A moment of absolute clarity?"
"I think so," my roommate replied. "Did you just have one of those moments?"

As a matter of fact, the past few days have been filled with those moments! Let me set the scene for you:
I have just walked in from work. I am wearing a silk printed skirt I bought from a funky clothing store in downtown Flagstaff, a black turtleneck, dangly silver earrings, and black boots. Ted, who has almost finished regrowing his beard, is playing me what he calls "my song"("Sugar Magnolia") on guitar, and the smell of stuffed bell peppers is wafting from the oven. All of a sudden it dawns on me, "I live in California. I have an amazing husband who taught himself guitar, and he is serenading me with a Grateful Dead song ("my song"). I have a wonderful home. I work for Amnesty International. The house smells like incense and peppers, and I am living the dream I have had of my life since I was young. Amazing!"

And in that moment all of the striving, the worrying, the desire that stays with us because we are human stopped, and a sense of clarity and satisfaction permeated my soul. "I am who I have always wanted to be. I have all that I have always wanted to have," I thought to myself. The world was distilled down to the scene in my living room, and all became clear for a moment. All seemed right with the world. These moments are what we live for - those moments when we feel awake and alive. And it seems to me that I might be living those moments all the time if I would discipline myself to be more aware, to be more awake.

For the past few years I have challenged myself to write down five things I have to be thankful for each day. A glimpse of my list over the past three days:
1. Ted and Alison playing "Going to California" on guitar until midnight, a candle burning in the corner of the room illuminating their hands as they pluck and strum the strings.
2. A simple dinner with friends - the scent of fresh parsley as I shred it into the rice, juicy grape tomatoes, flaky tilapia, fresh succulent strawberries, homemade whipped cream with a hint of organic sugar, easy conversation, a little violin and guitar, and laughter.
3. Planting the garden - rich black dirt in my hands, the faith of planting seeds - trusting that they will yield food to sustain us, the thrill of choosing containers, the joy of knowing we can have a garden even if we are surrounded by concrete, knowing that life will find a way everywhere.
4. Seeing the lightbulb moment for my students when I tutor
5. Sunshine after a week of rain

What five things are you thankful for today?