Appreciating the little moments

All of you who know me, know how much I have in common with a cyclone - fast-moving and endlessly so. But I had a small lesson last week in stopping and taking the time to appreciate the moment.

I had just finished business at Casey Council and was driving out of their carpark. Opposite the entrance to Council is a small park and lake, just adjacent to Casey ARC. Whilst I was waiting for traffic to clear, I noticed a couple with a young dog - looked like a Red Heeler, walking around the same side of the lake that I was on. Out of the corner of my eye, I also noticed a gaggle of geese near the picnic tables.

The moment came - the traffic was clear but I was intrigued. The dog was off the lead and had noticed the geese and they had noticed him and were heading back towards the lake in a big hurry. I checked my mirrors to make sure I wasn’t blocking anyone in and kept watching.

The dog was bounding around, first pouncing towards the geese, then back to his owners, as if unsure what to do with the birds. The geese in the meantime, continued their hasty trip to the lake. It only took 30 seconds, before geese were safe and dog and owners continued their walk around the lake and I continued my own journey.

I thought about it afterwards. I enjoyed the moment and the delight it brought me and it made me think about how many other moments of delight I miss out on, because I don’t take the time. Knowing myself and my ceaseless motion much of the time, I guess that it is quite often.

Genesis 1: 31 (NIV) says “God saw all that He had made and it was very good.” He says that after every day of creation. Our God even knows to take time and appreciate His surroundings. So I am determined to try and do the same. To recognise the moment when it’s front of me and appreciate it for what it is. It doesn’t have to be life-changing, mine was in fact quite trivial. But there was joy in that moment and that is a gift from God.

Be sure that you don’t miss out either. Find those moments for yourself, whatever they are and appreciate the joy that is within them, even if it is just for a moment.