Moments Across Years

 

I once heard it said we don't remember days, we remember moments. As thoughts of my daughter continually ran through my head on her birthday today, I paused to recall moments from her life that I'm sure will always remain with me.

* For the most recent moment, I selected the above - taken soon after the birth of my grandson - because it's fresh in my mind. And this picture also perfectly captures my daughter's playful and loving spirit.

* I've had so many transcendent musical moments with her, picking one is difficult. Today, I'll use a moment when she was in 5th grade and I was accompanying her on a LeAnn Rimes song called How Do I Live. When that school auditorium erupted with spontaneous applause after she effortlessly nailed the high note the first time through the chorus, I put my head down to avoid embarrassing myself. I was still regaining my composure as we left the stage together.

* While on a whale-watching excursion in Acadia National Park, I was holding my sleeping five-year old daughter against my chest. There was one magical moment that day when it felt to me like her heartbeat and mine had meshed. I'm guessing any woman who has ever been pregnant can relate to this. Although it wasn't my first bonding experience with my daughter, it remains a singular moment from my life. 

Happy birthday, sweetheart.