Pause.
What were you focused on in the last 60 minutes? Was it something meaningful? Was it someone you love? Were your eyes glued to a screen? Did you repeatedly jump in response to a high-pitched ding coming from your pocket?
Sometimes it seems as if we spend more time scrolling through a feed that is peppered with angry people, useless articles and movie trailers than we do having meaningful conversations. We spend more time checking our email, re-tweeting and coming up with cool hashtags than we do using our imaginations.
There are so many things in life that are easily taken for granted. Things get lost in the chaos of everyday life; they drift among the discourse of technology and work and accomplishing a task. We move through the motions at lightning speed, grazing over everything and giving nothing our full attention.
They always tell you to take mental pictures on your wedding day. Click. They say it goes by so fast, you won’t remember it unless you pause and take in every moment. The rest of our lives are the same way – moving too quickly to waste precious moments in a constant state of distraction.
With the holidays right around the corner, we need to push the pause button and take a look around. What’s in the freeze frame of your life?
Soak in the blessings of your surroundings.
Hold the hand of someone you love and look them in the eye.
Feel the warmth of a Peppermint Mocha in your hand and enjoy every last sip.
Rest.
Be grateful for failed attempts and learn from them.
Create something for the sake of creating it.
Enjoy your friends and tell them how important they are.
Appreciate the unexpected.
Linger in the little moments.
Memorize the way your baby’s eyelids flutter when they sleep.
Rejoice with those who rejoice.
Be present.
In this season of Thanksgiving, push the pause button. Don’t let life pass you by.
