One Amazing Thing

So I’m reading this little gem of a book entitled One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, in which 9 people find themselves trapped in an immigration building as an earthquake hits. All different shapes and sizes, cultures, backgrounds and genders merge, yet all have experienced at least ‘one amazing thing’ that they choose to share with each other, in order to pass the time, give hope, and remember.

In a world where earthquakes and tsunamis happen with too much frequency, celebrities such as Tiger Woods fall off the pedestals we inaccurately place them upon, Olympics dreams and hopes are achieved and completed in a matter of minutes (or hundredths of a second) after years of training and practice, only to realize that the person who had encouraged, supported and loved you, was no longer a part of your life (Canadian bronze medalist Joannie Rochette lost her 55 year old mother suddenly and unexpectedly days before she was to compete); how many ‘amazing things’ happen to us that we choose to overlook, or disregard or take for granted?

Because I’m a list maker, my first instinct is to compile a list of ALL the amazing things that have happened to me in my almost 50 year old lifetime, but that list would be too long. So, in addition to the daily gratitude exchange that I do with an old friend who I reconnected with a few years ago (yes, we are on year two, of our ‘daily 5’ gratitude exchange – an amazing thing in itself!), I am going to start ‘remembering’ just one amazing thing every day, and savoring the memory of it.

Perhaps it will be my ‘Helen Keller water’ experience, whereas I realized that others enjoyed reading, escaping and ‘talking’ about the books they devoured as much as I did.

Or maybe it will be standing at a bus stop with my best friend singing loudly the words to our ‘original bus song’, as we waited for the bus to take us ‘somewhere’.

Ruining my best friend’s surprise party literally moments before he entered the room, and his response by bursting into loud laughter and hugging me so tightly.

It could be the look on my father’s face as he ‘gave me away’ the first (and then second time) I got married (once a daddy’s girl, always a daddy’s girl), that showed how much he loved me.

Being whisked away to New York for the very first time and knowing that my husband was seeing New York ‘through my eyes’, as we walked, shopped and saw so much.

The moment that little black wrinkled dog placed his trust in me and loved me for 13 years unwaveringly.

My daughters entering my life, and enriching it in ways I never knew possible. They have truly defined what family is.

The bad pregnancies and miscarriages that culminated with the birth of my son, who knows without a doubt, how very much he was wanted and is loved (the greatest gift a parent can give their child).

Just an ordinary day in Florida at a water park with my mother, father and my son, yet there was nothing ordinary about it, as a water sodden smiling Mumsy will attest to.

The cancer scare and revelation that I was one of the lucky ones.

The realization that life doesn’t always get better or worse, but that it goes on, and that being able to be a part of the journey, impact someone’s life, make a difference, and love those you love, is the key to my happiness and contentment.

So many amazing things to remember, and to look forward to. Departure to university (ok, not a good thing, but an amazing thing for sure!), Weddings, grandchildren (no rush for those last two – all in good time!), my first book (one day), and the continued appreciation of the little and daily things.

Katrina Kenison wrote and read a portion of her book, The Gift of an Ordinary Day – click here to view, and besides the fact that I don’t know how she got through it dry-eyed (I did NOT!), what she said completely resonated with me.

It’s all about the ‘moments’ – every moment can be ONE AMAZING THING!