It is far too easy for each of us to get lured in to, and overwhelmed by, the challenges and unpleasantness of certain aspects of our daily lives.  We simply tune into the news in the morning and are greeted by stories of fiscal cliffs, scandal, war, and environmental disasters.  From there we bravely move through our days balancing work stresses, family dysfunctions, poor customer service, child rearing issues, health concerns, and to do lists that are far too long.  We can become so consumed by the “dark side”, heads down, trudging along, that we risk missing the life moments that bring light into our days.

Some life moments are so huge they create events of their own.  A few days ago I had dinner with some friends as we celebrated the birth of one friend’s baby boy, and another friend’s engagement.  Moments like that are so big and bright, you just can’t miss them, and it is easy to oooh, aah, hug, and clink glasses in celebration.   Other bright life moments are a bit more subtle.  One of my BFFs shared a story recently about a terminally ill patient at the facility in which she works, and how this woman’s positive attitude and caring for others was inspirational to everyone else.  And another BFF told me about a day when she was playing the game of “beat the clock”, running far too many errands with her daughters, being a typical Real Woman/super mom…  and as she was stepping out of her car into the sunlight, she suddenly was embraced by a feeling of calm – a moment that caused her to stop and take deep breaths and literally soak in the light for a few seconds.

For me, my most recent bright life moment was being selected this week to be featured on WordPress’ Freshly Pressed page.  Receiving that notification made not only my day, but my entire week.  The likes, the support, and the amazing comments that have been shared in response to that posting have been nothing short of incredible.  It has recharged me, made me even more excited and inspired to keep going with this joy I have of writing and being part of the blogging community.

Bright spots can also be incredibly simple.  Like having a really good hair day.  Or throwing on a last minute outfit and then being complimented on how good you look.  Or laughing over something so hard that you cry, pee, and snort all at the same time.   Or getting an unexpected text, call or email from a friend.  Or a big hug from a child.  The funny thing is that bright life moments seem to happen when we need them most.  We just need to have our eyes open and our heads up so we notice them.  What a shame it would be to miss an opportunity to get a boost to our egos, energy level or confidence when we so definitely need it.   It is far better to be alert and ready so we can appreciate those moments – and yes, take a moment to wallow in them.

Go ahead – you deserve it.