It’s that time of year. The gyms are overflowing with folks in fresh workout gear. People are setting resolutions and declaring goals for 2020. On top of all that, the current fad seems to be to choose a “word of the year.” I’ve read of people choosing guiding words such as: Achieve, Confidence, Capable, and Growth. All good choices, I’m sure.
Never one to shy away from a bandwagon, I decided to choose my own word. I thought about all the choices I had heard. I considered lots of options. I’m a nerd like that. And I had a lot of time to think about it, as I spent an inordinate amount of time in my pajamas while fighting a particularly nasty cold for the past few weeks.
Over and over, one word kept popping into my mind. That word was…
Moments.
See, I do have lots of goals for the year. Of course I do. I want to run a marathon. I have professional goals up the wazoo (yes, “wazoo” is a professional term). I do want to “achieve” and have “confidence” and be “capable” and experience “growth.”
But.
But I am a classic type A personality; I have a three-wing, for those of you who speak enneagram. That is to say, my work ethic is in perfect working order. I seldom lose sight of the goal. I think many of us are the same in that regard.
What I do lose sight of is the fact that life is nothing more than a series of moments. I forget that elegantly beautiful quote: “Life isn’t measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away.”
Moments.
So, this year, I want to become a collector of moments. While on my journey to the next achievement, I want to remember to pause and throw the football with my son. Listen to my daughter read her favorite book (yet again). Call my mom. Play that game of cribbage with my husband.
I still want to run the marathon. I still want to accomplish all the things. I just want to take a little bit more time to collect some moments along the way.
I want to train myself to look at gaining a moment, gaining a memory, as a win. I want to view finding pockets of joy as an achievement. I want to remember that life isn’t a race. I don’t need to come in first. I just need to get to the finish line with a whole load of cherished moments.
Moments.
Are you jumping on the “word of the year” bandwagon with me? What’s your word?
I am re-reading old blogs today — you are a great writer