July: On Family

July 30

Out of a whole life of moments—about 2.5 billion if you count each second as a moment and live to 80—birth and death only make up for two (give or take a few). Granted, they are two very important ones. That leaves a whole lot of space in between. And in those in-between moments, you’ll of course find joy and sorrow, pain and pleasure, loss and gain—and every blend and nuance of these emotions and experiences. You’ll have high highs and low lows, and that’s all well and good. But the one thing (if you’re lucky enough to find it) that can make those moments truly special, is experiencing them with another—that person you love unconditionally and who unconditionally loves you, whoever it might be. Your world entire.

Now, I understand some people have set out searching for this and feel they haven’t found it. I understand some people feel they have had it and lost it. It’s a complicated thing, no doubt about it—what isn’t in life? I guess what I want to say is that if you’ve had it and lost it, I’m glad you had it for however long. If you have it, I hope you hold on to it. And if you’re searching for it, I hope you find it. Or if you’re okay with being alone and you find happiness and contentment in yourself and in nature—that’s fine, too.

I hope you find joy and peace in more than just a few of those billions of moments between birth and death.

• Reflection title: Billions of Moments
• Creative inspiration:  Cormac McCarthy, The Road
• Reflection question: Who is my world entire? Who am I living out my moments with that makes it all worth it?