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Saturday, June 18

my moments

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When I asked you what your "moments" were, I was asking because I really wanted to know. I was looking for purpose, for value. I needed reminding of what that was. I pride myself on being an optimistic person. It's something I picked up on when my grandpa and 8 year old cousin passed away suddenly- and tragically within a few years of one another. In both instances, I somehow picked up this "optimistic" mechanism to deal with it. Instead of looking at it like we were losing something great (which we were), I tried to look at it as something that could do good. When my grandpa died, many of his siblings and members of our family took their health more seriously and in a family with a history of high cholesterol, this very well could have saved one or more of them who got the annual check-up at the doctor my grandpa didn't. When my cousin died, my aunt underwent genetic testing along with my other two cousins, and a cardioverter-defibrillator was implanted into her chest after she was diagnosed with Long QT syndrome. It brought our families together, at least for a while, taking comfort in one another. It flat out sucks in both cases that it took the loss of a life to bring awareness, but in dealing with the mess, looking at it in the most positive way I could was the only way I knew how to handle it.

However, I've been struggling to hold my head high lately. I guess I lost a bit of myself, the bit I've always known beyond a doubt. That's why I asked you. Watching someone slip away and receiving a phone call that someone left are two very different things. I hit a blank wall. And for me, that is a scary thing. Feeling the ground sink beneath my feet, seeing the grass on the other side was unnerving. In the same week, my dad received one of these phone calls, and it shook me even more. Hearing the phone calls on speakerphone from your mom's bedroom and listening to the voice mails again and again, walking through a lab sodden with silence... I became frustrated.
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My moments are everywhere. It took one of them for me to think outside the dark bubble to see things the way I always have, as beautiful. Good moments are often fleeting. We don't get to bask in perfect days day after day. If anything, most of them are less than perfect and pass by unnoticed. It wasn't until I lost something that those days are the ones filled with the real moments that give life value. It's the every day moments that aren't special on their own that put together give your world purpose. The things that you have every day that keep you anchored and give you something to be appreciative of. Not the glitter and sparkle of a perfect moment that comes by every now and then, the glitter and sparkle of living a day with both the things you choose to happen and the things that choose to happen to you that make you content.


My moments are driving home from a much needed hot tub session with my best friends from high school, the people that can't ever be replaced by your best friends from college because they've seen us as we were when we didn't know who we were yet. Hearing "Closing Time" come on the radio and wordlessly, connecting us. My moments are walking three flights of stairs to my dad's lab and talking about our days. My moments are the creme brulle lattes my mom and I share every morning. My moments are sitting on the "peak" of Moscow Mountain and seeing my entire life in the radius of my thumbnail. My moments are dropping off my sister's friends and the drive home with just my sister listening to Taylor Swift. Hearing my sister's unguarded laugh. Seeing her work on an art piece for hours in front of the TV listening to something on Netflix and then seeing the finished product. My moments are a book on a sunny day; a book on a cloudy day. My moments are driving from Moscow to Pullman every day on the highway with the zFun 106.1. My moments are finishing the last onion bag after four years being up to my elbows in bleach. My moments are knowing I'm not alone, even if I feel like it and even if I don't want to talk about it. My moments are standing next to any body of water and feeling little. My moments are closing my eyes before bed. My moments are falling asleep to a movie on a Friday night. My moments are swinging on the playground that I spent six years of my elementary education giggling on.

I've learned through the years. I've learned from what memories I have of the people I love and I'll learn from my aunt for years to come after this summer is over.

I lose myself, we all lose ourselves, but sometimes its the moments you don't want to remember that you always will that are there to remind us what we already knew. Life is never something I want to see pass by unnoticed. I want to notice. I want to love every moment that I am granted.
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thank you for your moments.
(check the link to read the previous post)

27 comments:

genevieve said...

Maggie, this is beautiful. Keep you head high; you're such a beautiful person (inside and out). Don't ever let yourself forget that!

Gracie said...

keep strong :)

Amber Schmidt said...

You inspire me every day.

Amber Schmidt said...

You inspire me every day.

Liza said...

Your words are so inspiring. I was sitting in bed, lacking motivation when I read this post. I decided to get up and do something because of it. I feel the same way as you. I've kind of lost part of myself which I had always known. You are not alone, and I feel like most people experience it. Never stop writing because you are truly gifted.

xLiza

Margaret said...

You are a really deep thinker, Maggie, and I admire you sincerely for that. And a gifted writer. Have you ever thought about becoming a...PHILOSOPHER??? haha :D

Unknown said...

This is such a wonderful post, Maggie. Definitely one of the best things I've read lately. You are the best :)

Jen Hsieh said...

You're a beautiful writer and you're right - every moment is worth remembering and you shouldn't let them pass you by. It's the smallest things that matter the most in the long run, the things that stand by you. :)

Catherine said...

You're a fantastic writer - this post is simply beautiful. I'm sorry for your losses, and I hope that things look up.

xox

Abbey said...

Lovely, lovely, post maggey! The pictures are so beautiful too.

SomeoneLikeYou said...

So beautifully written... You have the awesome ability to make a person think with your writing. Although you talk about your own experiences and feelings, a reader can realate to what you write about to their own life. You are simply magical.

Natalie said...

All I can say is that I absolutely loved this post, your words, all of your moments. You tagged this post with "inspiration" and you cannot have chosen a better word. You truly have a gift for writing. Never stop. And never stop seeing the world with that fantastic outlook you have on life.

Bethany Kellen of bunnypicnic said...

you're so inspiring.

Sherry Lou Studio said...

i love your photos so much. they look so fun and beautiful! :)

Despina T. said...

ur photos are so beautiful and fun!!!
loved this post!
i really like your blog.i am following you now.hope u will follow me back :D

Annebeth said...

you are such an inspiring person, you know that? I'm sure you'll find yourself again. optimism is the best way of dealing with things, as long as we don't hide our tears from ourselves.

Jaymie said...

This post is so sweet, chin up lovey.

love the last photo aswell haha.

www.jaymieocallaghan.com
xxx

callie said...

You are a really incredible writer Maggie- I hope you realize how talented you are! Chin up girl. You're an inspiration to a lot of people. :)

Bethany Heron said...

Such a lovely post- you look gorgeous :) xx

http://stylefashionvintagebaby.blogspot.com

Ashley from Sloanbook said...

Maggie, I'm sorry for the losses that have happened but I love your optimism! You are a strong girl and you write brilliantly!

And yes, the Harry Potter theme park was amazing, I will be posting on that soon, maybe tomorrow or the next day :) You should go sometime.

Oh, and I am following you now, keep your head up!!! You are a beautiful girl! :)

Ashley Sloan

Anonymous said...

Amazing post, very inspiring (; And the third photo is so cute

Renee said...

Ooh you're so sweet! Loved reading this! xo

Cel said...

I'm sorry you've been down. *hugs* I agree though, we do need to appreciate the small normal things. If we just wait around for the big stuff, we'll miss all the amazing little things.

Alex said...

This is too beautiful to even begin to describe it. Sure life gives us some bad moments, but they're always there to teach us something that will eventually lead us to a positive thinking!

rosieposie said...

such a beautiful post. we are all searching and seem lost at times, it's so important to remind ourselves of what keeps us anchored and makes our world go round <3 x

Anonymous said...

babe, you are blessed with beautiful thoughts. and i'm sure you know what to do with your world. and believe me, you make it a better place to live in.

hugs!

Lea said...

This is a beautifully resonant post. Every time I read through one of your posts, I realize that I love the blogs that are super personal like yours, versus ones that just post photos and expect reactions based soley on clothes. I love having content to actually respond to.

You've written about "moment" being smaller, less significant things--I totally agree. I also think that it's super difficult to pick out moments when they're actually happening. I know that I only can in hindsight. Though I am an extremely nostalgic person.

Love the dress and the bright colors and the pretty yellow flowers.