The Moment

OMF Kids flying their kites

Ayuki came to visit with her parents last weekend.

I love this photo of Ayuki helping her friend fly a kite at conference in October. The sky was SO blue that day and watching the kids with their kites reminded me of a story I read long ago about a day before the war when some kids were flying kites. The adults dropped their work and for a few blessed hours everyone just let everything else go and ENJOYED the blue, blue sky and the moment. After the war, the survivors all agreed that it was remembering that beautiful golden afternoon flying their kites that had gotten them through prison camp and all the hard times. (This story reminds me of another story: Aunt Hatty's Storehouse.)

I keep this poem in my kitchen to remind me to pause and enjoy "the moment."

THE MOMENT THAT STAYS

is the one beside the mountain

stream
so clear we can see the trout
hiding in the grassy current while
we try coaxing a small child out

from where he has waded barefoot
to walk his slippery hold,
laughing when we insist he’ll
freeze
because we are so cold.
-- DIANA DER-HOVANESSIAN