It's so easy to take moments for granted. I know I often get caught up in the routine of daily living that some days I end up just going through the motions. I forget that each moment contains its own unique beauty and gifts. It's never the "same old same old," and when it feels that way, I realize that I've forgotten to be fully present and find gratitude in the moment. 

The above pictures show the place I often run to when I need quiet time. It's a place that reminds me to be still and breathe in the blessings around me. One picture was taken early one morning. The other was taken during the afternoon the next day. Same scene, but completely different pictures. Life is like that. We step foot into the same scene, but we forget we are given new moments to create new stories and adventures. We forget our power in seeing the scene differently. There are certain aspects of our scene that are set, there are other aspects that fluctuate, and then there is the ever-changing moments that take place within that scene.  I've learned that when I take the time to appreciate the light surrounding the scene, my heart opens up. I begin to see the infinite gifts within the small details, whether it be the grace of a heron, the playfulness of a school of fish, the silly chatter of the squirrels, mocking laughter of the ducks, the powerful stare of the hawk sitting in the branch above me, or the sound of the wind as it tickles my toes. Once I start counting the gifts, I find it hard to stop until I reach a point I am so overwhelmed by peace my mind goes still and I can only just sit there and smile and give thanks.  

It's easy to reach that place of peace and gratitude on a dock. It's harder in the crazy hustle and bustle in life. I realize, though, that every time I step into school, I have a blank canvas on which to interact with my students and co-workers. Their stories, my story, within those walls are not set but are being written each new moment. My mind likes to take me to a place of past stories in which I encountered frustrations or failures, but when I choose to focus on the light within the scene and I give thanks for the infinite details that go right rather than the small amount of events that went oh-so-wrong, I give myself the gift of creating daily new adventures and hearts full of happy endings. It's my job to seek out the miracles of the moment. They are there, and they are found when we treat each moment as its own and open our eyes and hearts to the infinite and ever-changing gifts around us.

Love Big. Laugh Loud. Hug Hard. Write On.