Minutes Become Moments

I felt a burst of excitement as my parents' house filled with family and friends from every stage of my life. On the eve of spring, I admired people's light pink skirts and royal blue dresses. The kitchen was filled with bite-sized goat cheese, chive, and cucumber sandwiches; cranberry scones topped with blackberry jam; and creamy mini cheesecakes drizzled with chocolate sauce. After chit chat and nibbling, my shower guests formed a circle formed to watch me unwrap my shower presents. My grandmother was to my right, handing me a knife to open the more unruly boxes and a glass of water to keep me hydrated. My future niece Ashley sat on the floor, almost as excited as I was for each gift. She diligently made sure every piece of wrapping paper went into a white trash bag, while her cousin, two-year old Yael absorbed the whole shower experience with wide-eyed curiosity. My shower was on Saturday, smack in the middle of a fun-filled bachelorette weekend. Yesterday afternoon, as most of the out-of-town relatives and friends had flown home, I sat in a pedicure chair, relaxing as my feet got pampered. I read an article on mindfulness, and the piece begged people to make minutes into moments. To be aware of everything around you at a given point, to relish and savor that time. The shower was most definitely a moment.