We must not allow the clock and the calendar to blind us to the fact that each moment of life is a miracle and a mystery.
– H. G. Wells
One warm evening nine years ago…
After spending nearly every waking minute with Angel for eight straight days, I knew that I had to tell her just one thing. So late at night, just before she fell asleep, I whispered it in her ear. She smiled… the kind of smile that makes me smile back. And she said, “When I’m seventy-five, and I think about my life and what it was like to be young, I hope that I can remember this very moment.”
A few seconds later she closed her eyes and fell asleep. The room was peaceful… almost silent. All I could hear was the soft purr of her breathing. I stayed awake thinking about the time we’d spent together and all the choices in our lives that made this moment possible. And at some point, I realized that it didn’t matter what we’d done or where we’d gone. Nor did the future hold any significance.
All that mattered was the serenity of the moment.
Just being with her and breathing with her.
Photo by: FotoRita
Yuri says
I love this.
It’s so very true.
What matters is the now.
“wherever you are, be there”
Daphne @ Joyful Days says
Wow, that was a beautiful tribute to your relationship. This post made me feel happy that there are people in this world who love each other so much.
Karl Staib - Work Happpy Now says
This post just made me feel relaxed and wonderful, all at the same time. We forget to enjoy the moment we are in, trying to get to point b. My wife is pregnant and just last night we just talked and made each other laugh for an hour. Next time I’m in that moment, I’ll be thinking about this post.
Denis LeCLair says
Marc -that is beautiful in its simplicity.
Nathalie Lussier says
Short but oh so sweet. You can practically feel the love! Thanks so much for sharing this, it’s something we should all take the time to be grateful for. 🙂
Marc says
@all
As always, I appreciate your comments. Thanks so much for the kind remarks. 😉
russell says
Woah, talk about emo. 😉
Letha W. says
The blissfull art of being and breathing is one of the most beautiful things (and thoughts) I have read in a long time.
Thank you.
Justin says
Fantastic point! I have found I am happiest in my relationship when I take a little time to really focus on my girlfriend. Finding those small things that when done at just the right time make our lives so much happier =]
John Rocheleau says
I enjoy the simplicity of your expression of love. It is basic and simple, and that is where the power is.
Your writing in this piece reminded me of Richard Bach.
Mark Foo | TheBigDreamer.com says
Hi Marc,
You remind us that bliss and happiness can be found in the simplest and the most basic of things. Thanks so much for that.
And I guess we guys have a lot to learn from you cos’ you sound like a really romantic guy. I wonder if Angel would think so? 🙂
May you and Angel live in bliss forever.
Cheers~
Mark
Bobby Goulet says
I absolutely love it. My girlfriend and I have been together for almost two years now, and I know exactly what this kind of moment is. It’s moments like these that I live for.
Chris says
This reminds me of some of the awesome moments I spent with my ex girlfriend. 🙁
russel 2 says
i agree completely with russel. that was very emo.
Stephen - Rat Race Trap says
WOW, did that really hit the spot! Thanks Marc for sharing this beautiful moment in your lives. Simple pleasures are often the most intense and satisfying.
Yari says
Thank you for sharing this, it’s important to remember the moments and the now. Otherwise we get too preoccupied with the the past and future to enjoy our lives.
Earl S. Wynn says
Awwww… very cool. Great post!
matt says
good post… simple. I really hope that when i turn 75 I will remember all the good times with my amy.
Grace Kleppin says
You’ve captured the essence of relationship, Marc. I’m a little closer to 75 than you are, and I hope I make it there, too.
Thanks for reminding us about what really is important!
G.
Tess The Bold Life says
This is so great! I was pregnant and married my boyfriend at 17. We’ve been married 37 years! The line that strikes me is “all the choices in our lives that made this moment possible.” Rock on!
miles says
This post perfectly embodies your last guest post that talked about the notion of de-stressing by “being present”.. well done!
As blissfully described here, the past and future become irrelevant when you’re feeling the present, namely because the present is where the past and future meet.
People who stress about the past or future probably don’t have a very good life in the present. After all, you can’t have a good future if you don’t have a good present!
There are few things better than a lover to remind us of this simple fact of life. Since I don’t have one, thanks for sharing your good fortune Marc ^_^
Zazerick says
Simple but very well spoken
DAngel says
I thought this was very sweet. 🙂
Mae says
Sometimes the simplest things are the most important.
John says
Yes… glad I found your post today. I’m now reading “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle and I highly recommend it.
Marc says
Wow! I didn’t expect such a warm response to such a short, personal blog post. 😉
I’m glad so many of you found meaning in it. Thanks again for the feedback.
blufindr says
That was so sweet 🙂 I hope I find a relationship like the one you have with Angel.
jamie says
wonderful…..
spellathon says
Excellent post , short but very good… indeed
Maz says
What a lovely story. If only we could always appreciate just what we have in the here and now and be grateful for it.
thewebchild says
That is a pretty amazing moment captured in a couple of paragraphs that should inspire anyone that life needs to be more about simple pleasures.
Reading that reminds me of why I love my partner so much in good and bad times.
Thanks.
sudhir says
I like this.
Gina A. says
I know the intensity of those moments, the moments that are so all-consuming they can sustain you forever yet so light and gentle you feel like you are floating not imprisoned. So wonderful to see someone else experiences those moments.
Arnold says
One word to describe this: Beautiful.
cleveland says
I was there, for 33 years… and I wish i could go back an do it all over.
WOW! Simply beautiful.
Usiku says
I agree, we must allow more time for peaceful moments and be able to recognize and appreciate them fully in those moments.
Dubli says
Excellent point, we worry so much about the past and the future we forget about today!
Sunil Bhutani says
God! That was just beautiful. Albeit, it was so simply put it was profound and I wish I remember it for the rest of my remaining life with Ashima. We have now been married for 34 lovely years. Sure we have had pitfalls in our relationship but off late I find I remember the unsavoury parts less and the fun and caring moments more. And yes I too love to share the same air that she breathes. I hope this does not change till we say our final farewells. I also hope that we are able to make our sons to think and believe in a similar manner so that it enriches their lives and relationships as it did ours.
Thank you Marc and Angel. Angel more so because I dont believe Marc would have been what he is without you in his life.
Sunil
Sunil Bhutani says
Its a simple, profound, true and a beautiful reminder to all of us who live in the past or the future that NOW is what really matters. If we take care of all the NOW moments the past and the future will automatically become worth remembering/looking forward to.
Sunil
Fatemeh says
Thanks for sharing..i too have such a feeling when im with HIM. 🙂
rob says
Yuri,
I think you mean ‘wherever you are, be here’
Niki says
This is beautiful… I hope one day the man of my dreams will make me as happy as you make your wife!
Christi says
Very nice 🙂
Raghav says
Beautiful. I hope you realize how many hearts you have touched with this.. 🙂
Chris C says
I, being 16, experienced for the first time the very moments this post captures. Today in fact. It was absolutely beautiful
Candice says
the difference between being alive and living life is knowing when to stop… and acknowledge the significance of the moment for what it is… no more and no less…
Karyna says
Hi, it’s my first time that i comment here. Sorry if my English is no so well, i discovery your site by my cousin who really love this website…
Your histories are wonderful with a kind of magic and reality.
I loved this. I have been touched… This is real life, this is magic… this is love. Pure love. 🙂
Estle says
I love it!
Geraldine Coll says
My kind of story. Raw and from the heart. I just posted this about my dear husband.
>>> This man I know came home from work and wife said: “Sorry, honey, I haven’t done much today. I feel crappy.” Husband: “Hmm, it’s that time again.”
Wife who hasn’t even brushed her hair since coming out from the shower asked, “would you like to brush my hair?” Unexpectedly, he gets a hairbrush and sits on the stairs where the wife is sitting and brushes her tangly and still damp hair.
While brushing, they chatted about the day. Wife thanked husband and said, “my hair is the happiest today. I never got to brush my hair that long because I am always in a hurry. (Called wash, brush and air-dry process) .
Lesson: All you have to do is ask. You’ll never know. You long for those moments and you won’t realize how special it is unless you make it happen. #itsthelittlethings ??????