Memorable Moments

You know those friends who consistently gather people together, hosting celebrations for holidays that don’t exist or to celebrate what others might view as a minimal accomplishment in another’s life? My brother is one of those people. Over the past decade of living in both Chicago and San Diego together, it appears his place remains the hub for both planned and unplanned socializing in any form. And it makes me so grateful to be a part of such moments, because there is a spirit of mystery in the air, as if anything could happen.

In summer 2012, after a standard Daniel’s House hang, the remains of our crew collectively decided that a walk to the lake was in store for our evening. Walking back, the iconic Abraham Lincoln statue hovered under the glow of the Lincoln Park lamps, as if beckoning us to come and sit. In my obviously small-minded ways, I was poised ready to take photos in front of the statue, at the exact moment that Daniel took off in an all-out sprint towards ol’ Abe, ready to take a climb atop his shoulders. One-by-one we followed up the 12-foot statue, involving feet on shoulders and hands on marble, ready to pose for pictures that would soon become hints of memories of this golden free-spirited night.

The thing that rises to the forefront of my mind is a line hinging in the air by Daniel as we climbed: “Life is about memorable scenes. We have to make this a memorable scene!”  We easily could’ve stepped in front of Lincoln with Asian-tourist peace signs and smiles in front of the lawn… but instead we climbed on top of each other to reach his lap, sit at his feet, and bronze his nose. (For the record, I’m pretty sure Daniel stole this line from Donald Miller, but it seems it could also be his life motto.)

I frequently think about this night as a reminder to take the ordinary and turn it into something memorable. Somewhere along the way, it seems that the effort poured into these moments is less frequent; it is substituted for excuses like “it’s too much work” or “I just don’t have the energy.” It takes a spirit of adventure to create these moments… to push through the exhaustion or lack of excitement… and make it happen.

We create these moments by turning dinner into an event – a candlelit porch or a sunset seaside picnic; by choosing to bike to work down a dirt trail instead of taking the regular drive; through choosing a new activity for a Sunday afternoon instead of taking a nap. Memory is triggered by emotion; meaning that the moments that stay within us are the ones attached to high emotion. 

When life is lived with passion; memorable scenes are created.

Here are a few of my latest faves:

Biking to church

New table and chairs on our porch

Strolling Liberty Station at sunset

Homemade pizza

Cookies for breakfast