The Gravity of Small Moments
Introduction
Often the moments that have the greatest effect on our lives will come into our life without notice. They will come into our lives during an interaction or through a simple statement that we don’t think about very much at all. The most important thing to remember is that at the time these moments seem inconsequential, but later, they can serve as guideposts and can provide different pathways to follow, or take the shape of a radical departure from where we thought we were going to be. The subtlety with which these significant moments descend upon us, allows us to experience significant change to our lives in many different ways, and sometimes for years before we experience it as being a change in direction.
Unintentional Guidance
The greatest sources of direction we often possess are frequently unplanned interactions and happenstances. Usually, these incidents will fade from memory along with the person involved but may be transformative later on. One of the more common forms of guidance may occur when we hear something casual from a teacher, overhear something while on public transportation, or receive an act of kindness from an unknown person at a time when we needed encouragement the most. Surprisingly, the impacts of these small incidents do not hit us all at once; instead, they are gradually absorbed into our subconscious like little seeds waiting for the right conditions to sprout. Eventually, maybe during moments of self-doubt or anxiety, that single phrase will come to the forefront and provide us with clarity and illumination. It is always remarkable to consider that people can unknowingly provide us with meaningful insight and guidance despite not fully understanding its significance. It is also remarkable that this assistance continues to flow to us without having any anticipation of its return and that we can be helped by something said by someone who has no idea they were providing us with that insight. At times those off-the-cuff, spur-of-the-moment reminders of guidance prove more valuable in shaping our future decisions than careful and deliberate planning would have provide.
Our Paths Are Shaped by Split-Second Choices
The most significant turning points in our lives are not determined by our short-term goals, but by the small, almost unnoticeable decisions we make at any given moment. In just a moment, we choose to take an alternate road home, and as a result meet a person or experience something that dramatically alters the trajectory of our lives. Or we make a decision to take a leap of faith, even though we were hesitant at first, and that very action leads us to our greatest joy. We may spend a few extra seconds waiting at the bus stop, or leave the house earlier than we normally do; at the time that moment does not seem significant, as there are so many other things going on in our lives that we don’t give these carelessly made choices any thought at all. However, many years from now when we reflect back on those moments, we will understand how they dramatically changed the way our story ends, and how unpredictable and delightful life is.
We will always remember the kind of person we will meet only once.
People come into and out of our lives like a breeze—soft and gentle, sometimes unexpected, and they make an impression we may not even be able to put into words. They could be a person who gave us help when we didn’t know where to turn or a person who recognized our sadness and felt bad for us, or maybe just someone who treated us just right when the world seemed to be against us. A person that we meet just once reminds us that we don’t need to know someone for a long time for them to have a meaningful impact. Sometimes it’s the very nature of the moment itself that creates their impact on us. We remember their smile or gesture or could have been inspired by a spark of hope when we were down. Even though the encounter we had with them was brief in duration, they will stay with us forever and will affect the way we treat others and view the world. Unbeknownst to them, these types of encounters become a part of our emotional memory and colour our thoughts and actions for as long as we live. These brief sparks remind us that we impact each other’s lives in deeper ways than we know.
The Quiet Realizations That Rewire Us Inside
Transformational moments frequently do not come with pizzazz or major epiphanies yet rather with soft whispers. The pearls of wisdom that you collect over time, which will gradually alter the way you think, respond, and feel. An example of this might include the moment that you realise you are repeating the same patterns of behaviour repeatedly, or perhaps coming to the level of acceptance that your relationship with someone or a certain period in your life has come to an end. Realisations are not demanding attention instead they exist within the background gently nudging you to new ways of living. Because they occur so subtly you may not even be aware of them at first, but over time you will make choices and react in a different manner and continue to see yourself differently. They are powerful not because they are loud but rather because they represent a truthfulness about yourself. They also represent new emotional chapters and growth of self-awareness that is a product of stillness, little flames of understanding, and continued growth in who we are becoming.
Conclusion
Life, ultimately, is influenced more by the small, quiet, everyday experiences we sometimes ignore than it is by the incredible, extraordinary events we sometimes think shape our lives. The small actions other people take and the quick decisions or subtle discoveries we all make are small individual threads that create a broader picture of our lives than they could alone; when we are conscious of the significance of those moments and experiences, we begin to realise that the extraordinary often happens in the ordinary, and perhaps it is this awareness that draws us further into appreciation for the world around us and encourages us to be kinder and more compassionate toward each other.
