To Inspire:

I just read the story below in one of Matthew Kelly’s books, Holy Moments. His premise is that each of us have the ability to take each moment, each encounter with someone, and make it a special graced moment. We do this by what we say or do in that moment. Matt offered this story as one example of a holy moment:

Lillian Lopez thought she was going to lose her mind over her teenage daughter’s attitude and behavior. She had prayed for months asking God to do something, but it turned out God wanted Lillian to do something. The following Sunday morning, she woke her daughter at 7:00 a.m., saying, “Get yourself ready; we’re leaving in twenty minutes.” As you can imagine, that wasn’t too well received. “Where are we going?” her daughter yelled.  “I’ll tell you on the way,” her mother replied.

Earlier in the week Lillian had bought two leather-bound journals. They weren’t expensive, but money was tight, so they didn’t come without sacrifice. Lillian took her daughter to their favorite breakfast spot. After they had ordered, she pushed one of the journals across the table. ”What’s this?” her daughter asked. “I want you to make this the book of your life,” Lillian answered. “A place to write your hopes and dreams, a place to plan, and sometimes to doodle when doodling is what best helps you think about your future.” Her daughter’s eyes began to fill with tears. It was a Holy Moment. “So, what are your dreams?” Lillian asked her daughter. They talked for almost two hours about her daughter’s hopes and dreams for her life, and she started writing them in her journal. Then Lillian’s daughter noticed the second journal. “What’s the other journal?” she asked her mother. That was another Holy Moment. “That’s going to be my book of life,” Lillian replied. “Its time for me to start dreaming again too.”

What an inspiring story of one person creating a very special moment with someone they love. And in doing so, it became a special moment, a holy moment, for both of them.

We can create these kinds of moments many times a day if we choose to look at our life through a new lens. Instead of thinking about ourselves so much, what if we were to think of all those we love and interact with. A word of encouragement, a thank you, an act of kindness. As these become habits, we begin to change the world – changing not only the lives of those around us, but our own lives as well.

Holy Moments – I dare you to create one this weekend.

Written by Matt Palmer, Partner & Co-Founder