reflection

I'll be honest—my original intention was to capture the "perfect" picture of the rising moon as it appeared on the horizon over the waters of Lake Superior. I wanted to create the image I had seen so many photographers capture before. However, things didn’t go as planned, and my attention was drawn instead to the reflection on the water.

I became captivated by a narrow strip of light dancing across the waves, moving in a rhythmic motion until it reached my toes, dipped in the frigid waters. It was mesmerizing—just as beautiful as the moonrise I had originally envisioned. In that moment, I had a choice: I could keep trying to force my camera settings to match my original idea, or I could surrender to what was in front of me and simply enjoy the moment.

The Lord has been showing me the joy of living in the present—it truly is a gift. Our fast-paced world pushes us to hold onto the past or focus on a future that hasn’t yet happened and may never unfold the way we expect. And yet, in doing so, we can convince ourselves that we are living in the present, even when we are not.

This isn’t to say that planning for the future or reflecting on the past isn’t valuable—it is. But the real challenge is recognizing when our mindset causes us to miss what is right in front of us: The children who seem to grow overnight, now hugging us around the waist instead of the knees. The teenagers stretching their wings, carving out their place in the world. The parents who still shine with joy when they enter a room. The grandparents, aunts, and uncles who understand that time spent together is the greatest currency.

So what if we slowed down a bit? What if we chose to truly live in the moment, to appreciate those we share space with, and to recognize that time itself is a gift?

I recently watched a short clip of an interview that asked two questions. The first: Would you take $10,000,000 today? The person enthusiastically said yes. The second: Would you still take the money if it meant you couldn’t wake up tomorrow? The somber realization set in—money can’t buy everything.

One of my favorite quotes from The Big Bang Theory is a conversation between Sheldon and Penny in one of the final episodes: “The only thing constant is change.” We have a choice—we can dig our heels into what we want life to look like, clenching our fists, or we can embrace life with open hands, surrounded by those who make an impact on us.

I suppose my point in saying all of this is simple: We all have the opportunity to reflect light to those around us, to live in the moment—just like each wave that reaches the shore and slips back into deeper waters. Time is a gift, one that does not last forever. So let’s embrace it and celebrate the people who bring meaning to our lives,  living Life in Full.