In The Moment
By Brian Dean
(Published in the April 2016 issue of Natural Awakenings as Creating Perfect Moments)

I was at the opticians the other day getting my glasses adjusted. The technician looked at me and asked, “How do they feel?” I told him, “They are perfect.” But then I thought about it, and wondered, how long is perfect?

I know that in the moment those glasses felt right, but after time, they would be not so much. As I move around, as I change position, those glasses will move. And before long, my perception of “perfect” will have changed. But isn’t that the same with everything?

Perfect is in the moment, not the long game. A moment is perfect. Even a period of time is perfect. But we change, and with that change comes growth. We outgrow things. I remember when I was a child, it was perfect sitting in my room, playing with my toys. But I don’t do that anymore. Part of the reason behind that is life. Life demands more of us every day, and to meet that demand, we need to change, to grow. So that target of “perfect” keeps moving.

It’s like sitting on the couch snuggling with your loved one, watching a favorite show. That moment is perfect. But eventually, one of you needs to get up and use the bathroom. Thus perfection ends. In my house, it is usually dislodging a large dog or two that decided to take up residence on top of us.

We strive for perfection, and occasionally make it. But it is only for a short time. So I guess it would be fair to say that we, as individuals, strive for those perfect moments. And when they come, we want to enjoy them and hang onto them as long as we can. But we have to know that eventually, we will move on and look for that next moment. You need to be prepared to change, to grow, to adapt and accept. You need to be able to compromise, to work, to understand, and to grow more. In doing that, you create more perfect moments. It is like being in a relationship. You give, and you take. You demand, and you compromise. But in doing so, you make more of those perfect moments.

So, I guess the moral of this story is that change truly is the only constant. And as we change, we make perfect moments. Cherish those while you have them, and then grow into the next one. Now, wasn’t that just perfect?