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This past weekend I paid close attention to some of the details in my life. On Saturday afternoon, our daughter relaxed in the middle of our bed. She looked so comfortable, in fleece cupcake pants and matching shirt. Her little belly exposed, I decided to tickle her. Her laughter filled every crevice of our room, a deep and innocent laugh that screams joy. This detail stayed with me throughout the day. I kept repeating to myself, ‘That belly laugh will not last forever.”  This thought ambled in my mind, carrying with it both joy and sorrow.

I wonder about all those moments that happen in a flicker and then, just as they occur, in a flash, they are gone. We will never experience the exact replica of that single detail. How many of those little details are we honoring?

I walked through the weekend, soaking in, all the minutia. On Saturday morning, the desert filled with rain, I listened to the drops landing on the window. The rhythm of the drops created a beautiful symphony of sounds. Rain is a rare occurrence in the desert, so my natural inclination is to listen and sink into the listening.

The weekend days plunged on, full of these tiny little details, the real beautiful of my life. My daughter returned from a birthday party, where she collected “jewels.” She laid each colorful sparkle on the kitchen counter, her eyes lighting up, every time I told her that blue gems were sapphires, while the green gems were emeralds. This conversation reminded me of all that she is absorbing, learning everyday, and I am so privileged that I am able to do the teaching.

Sunday, the desert turned back to its true personality, the sun rising, the sky blue, and the mountains drenched with light. I ran in the morning, a painful trek on a small hill, my knees resisting my forward motion. A lingering cold followed as I moved through the streets. Running in the quiet offers a peace that allows me to embrace all of the details in my life, good, bad, and in-between.

In the afternoon, my husband, daughter and I decided to attend a Sunday afternoon matinée. Our daughter sat in the middle, her eyes glued to the screen, she reached for the popcorn. Both our hands collided inside the bag and we both smiled and giggled at the same time.

The small details. They will not last forever. But it is important to honor their importance.

IMAGE BY  PHILLIPC FLICKR VIA CREATIVE COMMONS