<The original edit of this post was written in 2017.>
I’ve been staring out the windshield (as a passenger) for a few minutes now. We’re heading down a straight and desolate stretch of highway 441. It’s dreary outside, and I’m feeling overwhelmed.
I’m pressed for time, my to-do list is 100 miles long, and this day includes 4.5 hours roundtrip in the car.
It’s December 17, and if you’ve been out on the roads, you know the hustle and bustle is in full swing! Today, we are headed to Vero Beach to celebrate my mother-in-law’s 85th birthday.
“Oma” has dementia. She won’t remember our visit after we leave, but she will enjoy every minute of it while we are there.
Oma will love reading her birthday cards, and will trace her finger over the signatures of her grandchildren. She will read each card “for the first time” over and over, and delight in them every time.
We brought some old family pictures to share with Oma today. Pictures seem to jog her memories, and she likes to listen as my husband re-tells old stories. We’ll have lunch in the sunroom, and maybe we’ll sit outside with her for a bit. Oma will marvel at the birds and the clouds in the sky, which will encourage us do the same.
There will be some frustration, and a little sadness, as we leave today. Mostly, however, there will be smiles, laughs, and literally enjoying one moment at a time.
THAT’S the lesson for me today.
Simple and True
In the last weeks of the year there are dichotomies, that’s for sure. Stress and overwhelm runs alongside celebration and beauty.
Professional demands and personal commitments are reaching their peak.
Maybe like you, I’ve still got deadlines to meet for work and soon family and friends will arrive. And there’s SO MUCH preparation to be done!
I haven’t complained, but I’ve been stressed about making this trip today… Dreading it a little. I mean, what could I do with the 4.5 hours I’ll be stuck in the car?
But now, as I think about how Oma will experience this day, I’ve decided to enjoy it.
Rather than worry about all the to-do’s, I’m choosing to enjoy this day just like Oma will: one minute at a time.
New dichotomy: I’m stuck in the car for 4 more hours today AND I’ll take advantage of it. I’ll use this time to write and edit my post. I wouldn’t have this much quiet time available at the office, so cool!
Now this time feels like the gift it is.
Time Flies
It’s been eight years since I wrote the original content of this post.
Here I am at Christmastime 2025, remembering exactly how I felt when I wrote it.
Oma passed in 2020, and her beloved Lyle (“Opa”) reunited with her in heaven just last week.
Today, as I sat to write this mid-December post and struggled for something to say, I felt compelled to dig into posts from years past… This one abut Oma and living in the moment was the first one I opened.
Life can be heavy.
Sometimes it’s hard.
But even the tough times carry things to appreciate within them, and the joy-filled moments shine even brighter 🌟 when we stay present.
I’m grateful for this reminder to be present.
Right here, right now, this moment. Then the next one, and the next one, and the next one. NOW is where the magic happens and all the joy is found!
Be. Here. Now.
As you move through the hustle and bustle of this season – full with deadlines, commitments, traditions and celebrations – I encourage you to live each moment and enjoy the gift of being present.
Need some help to get here? Try this:
- Seek out reasons to smile, and don’t be afraid to laugh. A little levity goes a long way and smiles are contagious! (Try it!)
- Appreciate the people around you; especially those you love. (Dogs & cats count!)
- Remember to breathe through the bumps, then go immediately back to #1.
One moment at a time… It’s how Oma lived her last years, with a smile on her sweet face.
One moment at a time…It’s all we’ve got. Everything else is a memory or a maybe.
Live all your moments. Be thankful for them. And to the best of your ability, enjoy them.
