January 29, 2010
The Perfect Life
Once again it is Friday and time for a topic chosen by the LBC, a group of writers who take turns choosing a subject to write on and to post weekly. This time the subject is” The Perfect Life”. I have listed all the writers for this group on my sidebar under Consortium Writers and I invite you to go to their blogs and enjoy their different writing styles and their creative approach to the subject.
I don’t believe the perfect life exists although I have often thought that others might have fared better and from my view, their lives indeed looked perfect. In other words that old “the grass is greener” adage seemed pretty true. Well I no longer hold this idea to be bona fide.
Instead, I know that everyone has good times and bad times, but the perfect times, are fleeting for all of us and I have come to value the perfect moments that come and go in daily life rather than to envy the perfect life which more than likely doesn’t exist.
My life has never been perfect, but when I think of perfect moments in time, I realize there have been many. Here are three little snippets that come to mind:
Evening meal - quiet dinner for two. A meal prepared with love. Sweetest comments on “Gourmet meal” received, quiet conversation and then because I eat faster and less, I head to the piano and play for his enjoyment while he continues to enjoy a leisurely meal.
This to me was the perfect moment in a not always perfect life. I miss those dinners, but the problem with perfect moments is they are fleeting and seldom repeat themselves.
Another perfect moment is one I remember when hiking with my boys. The trail was difficult, the path winding, and my pack heavy. My youngest was ten years old, red-headed and freckled, and caring. He made his way up the path like a small mountain goat, turned to see me struggling, came running back down the hill, big smile on his face, and said, “Let me help you, Mom.”
It has been a long time since my son died, but when I remember him, I always remember that one perfect moment in time.
A New Years Eve - aboard a cruise ship docked just outside Acapulco Bay. Standing near the railing, my husband’s arms around me, I lean back against him, sipping champagne. All around the port brilliant fireworks explode in bright colors that light up the sky, dazzle the eye, and thrill the soul.
As I write this so many perfect moments rush to my mind. They are like snapshots of time and I realize in all of them there is the magic of living in the moment. Perhaps that is the answer. Live in the moment, love those around you, and treat each perfect moment as a gift and then if you believe in fairy tales, all those wonderful moments will bind together and become the perfect life. If you don’t, then just try to enjoy those fabulous moments when life seems perfect.
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A good way to look at life!
January 29, 2010 @ 8:34 amSmall drops make an ocean. Many perfect moments will eventually make for a perfect life. You have got it right Maria.
January 29, 2010 @ 8:41 amMaria, I think this is precisely the path to enlightenment that is suggested by so many that know. Live in the moment only! This seems to enhance existence until it is indistinguishable from perfection.
The more I know you through this blog, the more I like your take on things.
January 29, 2010 @ 10:21 am“Perfect” moments in time! Just like the commercial, “priceless”. Your reflections were on the mark.
January 29, 2010 @ 12:14 pmI feel you did well with the subject. Not abstract, drawn out, hard to follow, just some pleasant examples. Yo got my vote!
January 29, 2010 @ 5:14 pmNo perfect life here as you prolly know. Can’t think of any perfect moments either.
January 29, 2010 @ 5:41 pmThank you for recounting some of your “perfect moments”, Maria. I felt like the proverbial fly on the wall.
It is the recalling of those positive feelings generated by those perfect moments that change your heart rhythms and balance the nervous system - an antidote to stress.
January 30, 2010 @ 11:27 amGrannymar,
Thank you. Life is not always easy and certainly never perfect, but I am not ready to give it up yet.
Ramana,
I liked the idea of small drops making an ocean until I thought of salty water which is much like teardrops. Maybe I need to think more about that image.
Conrad,
January 30, 2010 @ 4:04 pmLive in the Moment was the way I made it through breast cancer. It all seems so far away now and living in the moment not quite as easy to achieve. I have become complacent.
Judy,
Do you think Hallmark needs to hire me? I do see the connection to the “priceless” ad. LOL
Mary,
Somethings are more difficult to write about than others. Keeping it personal always makes my writing clearer. Thanks for noticing that.
Kay,
I would love to fill your life with special moments. You deserve to have many and right now I know life is not easy for you, but I am so glad you are back to blogging.
Marianna,
January 30, 2010 @ 4:13 pmI couldn’t agree with you more about these moments being antidotes to stress. As to being a fly on the wall. . . well I will have to be careful not to swat you. I know how busy you are and I appreciate you dropping by to leave a comment.
Thanks, Maria for remindng me why I was drawn to you as a friend….you are quite the remarkable woman for so many reasons. I really liked this post.
January 30, 2010 @ 6:58 pmYour perfect moment reflections conjured some of my own. It’s funny how when we recognize a moment to be perfect it is also tinged with a little sadness - maybe because we know it won’t last. I suppose that’s why we only get small glimpses into perfection. It makes them that much more special.
January 31, 2010 @ 6:36 amI liked your post Maria. I think we are all blessed with some perfect moments in our lives….and it’s up to each one of us to recognize them as such. If we didn’t have those ‘imperfect’ times in life, how are we ever going to celebrate the ‘perfect’ ones? ~Joy
January 31, 2010 @ 8:45 amPerfect moments are gifts in themselves. And most people’s lives in general have never been perfect. I liked what Joy, who commented just before me, has said.
I am in awe of you Maria. You have so gracefully handled the different seasons of your life that I am seeing you as a role model.
January 31, 2010 @ 10:08 pmI don’t think there is such a thing as a perfect life either, but I don’t know if I could have thought it through and came to your conclusion! I enjoyed this very much and once again, you have inspired me and made me count my blessings and appreciate living in the moment.
February 1, 2010 @ 6:10 amSally,
I am so looking forward to your visit and to having lunch with you and Kathy. I am counting the days.
Ginger,
You are so right. Each perfect moment has a tinge of sadness. An example for me, is the first time I take a new puppy to the vet. It is fun, the new one adorable, and yet, I always tell myself “Someday, this will come to an end, so remember this moment of sweetness.”
Joy,
February 1, 2010 @ 7:54 amI think sorrow often is a barometer for joy in our lives. If we never had it then we couldn’t know to the same extent the wonders of being happy.
Gaelikka,
Your compliment warms my heart, but be aware that my feet are made of clay. I have truly stumbled through life and yes, I have landed up in old age - still standing, and just a wee bit battered.
John,
February 1, 2010 @ 8:02 amReading your blog makes me pretty certain that you do a good job of living in the moment. Gratitude and counting blessings has always helped to drive away my demons and keep me centered and content.
Maria, the rivers that feed the ocean drop by drop are all sweet water. When they get absorbed by the ocean, they become salty. Saltiness is a quality. It is neither good nor bad. It is a different taste. Just imagine the world without salt!
February 1, 2010 @ 8:29 pmHi Maria,
February 2, 2010 @ 10:50 amThis is perfect! I enjoy reading these posts from your writing group and I am beginning to write on these topics as well - for fun. I enjoy writing and one of my resolutions as I ease into full time retirement (which is very scary for me) is to do some writing/journaling.
You are my inspiration!
Stef
One more quick try at publishing my essay (above) then I promise!!–I’m outta here, OK?
February 2, 2010 @ 11:48 amRamana,
February 2, 2010 @ 11:58 amYou have given me a small almond of science, wrapped in a poetic sweetness, and dipped in a beautiful philosophy. What a wonderful morsel to enjoy. Thank you, my friend.
Hello Stranger!! This is a voice from your lurid past…lol. Meandmycat are back, more or less. After the total destruction of a newly designed blogpage at WordPress — apparently by some vicious cyberspace entity bent on ruining an old lady’s simple little scribbling of “stuff” — I am still in the “resurrection” stage but getting back to what was normal…slow but sure.
My daughter saved my archived blogs dating from 2001 thru 2009 in an entity called ‘Wayback Machine’, bless her smart heart…Hah. I was amazed at how many bloggers on my old blogrolls are no longer viable! Some morphed into something else, or became a business of some kind….saddest of all, many just quit cold. Like, they left their creation, ideas and blogpage simply floating aimlessly (and endlessly?) thru space? Their last blog entries ranged from 2002 to 2004 !
Two of my “favorite” bloggers are deceased, but their blogpages are still hanging out there! One of the men died in 2006! This is soooooo not right!! But?
I hope you will forgive me for placing what is virtually an *ad* for my brand-new blogpage on your comment page…guess it could be called *spam* but you are one of the very few original *mature* bloggers still participating in this obsessive pasttime, and I don’t want to lose you as an old and dear bloggy-buddy !!! LOL
Lorraine
February 2, 2010 @ 12:01 pmStephanie,
So good to hear from you. I understand you had lunch with Sally recently. I will see her when she is in R/C next week. Really looking forward to it.
I want to encourage you to use your writing talents through blogging. As you can tell by reading the posts of the LBC that it is both an interesting and creative way of spending time.
While you are warming up to the idea of creating your own blog, I invite you to be a guest writer on Silverfox-Whispers.
February 3, 2010 @ 9:14 amLorraine,
Welcome back! I missed reading your posts. Do you have any idea what happened to Golden Lucy? She is one of those that dropped off and disappeared into cyberspace. I miss her.
I will certainly be over to read your blog. Please have something saucy and spicy. I need a good laugh.
February 3, 2010 @ 9:17 am