Just a Little Longer

When Jim Croce sang his song about saving time in a bottle, he sure had it right. There are certain moments in life I just wish I could capture like fireflies in a mason jar.

Last Friday I was in New York City. I ate lunch at the very cute and elaborately decorated "Serendipity," and when we came outside, it had begun to snow. Perfect little eraser head-sized snowflakes danced down around us as we made our way to 5th Avenue. The streets were lined with bundled-up shoppers and Christmas decorations. I felt like I was in a movie. It was beautiful and festive—exactly the way you would want a city to feel during the holidays.

On the plane ride home, my six-months-pregnant cousin grabbed my hand and put it on her belly to feel her baby kick. Just like the surprise snow shower, that moment had an element of magic to it.

They say that the best way to remember something is to recall it often. But with so many incredible little events in our lives, it's hard to keep bringing them to the forefront of our minds over and over again. I guess the best we can do is savor them when they're happening. Try to make that two-second kiss on the cheek when you're cuddling on the couch last just a little longer. Pay attention to the feeling of an expectant mother's twitching stomach or your favorite guy's fingers tracing over the nape of your neck. Eat a decadent frozen hot chocolate slowly, acknowledging each sweet ice crystal that hits your tongue.

The beauty of all of these little moments is that they add up to a lifetime that, hopefully if stored in a container of some sort, would burn brighter than a hundred swarms of fireflies.