Making Magic Moments

from Christine Harvey

Have you ever sat back after a busy day, exhausted from hard work and wondered about the meaning of it all?

And yet, have you noticed how a magical moment can come out of the blue, unplanned, staring you in the face when you least expect it?

What causes those moments?

At a seminar I attended this weekend we were given the assignment to create something out of nothing. In fact, we were told to create a quite space, with a total stranger, where something could happen.

My husband and I decided we would do this exercise with the breakfast staff at the hotel. So we dutifully started a conversation, gave the waitress 100% of our attention, and then when a pause came in the conversation, we kept our eyes focused on her and said nothing.

Sure enough, in that space magic was created. She confided in us that she missed her family terribly. They were in Ethiopia and she was here with her baby son and husband. Her chances of going back to see her parents were slim. Their chances of coming here were slim. It could be years, if ever, she would see her parents again.

I reflected on that conversation – the fact that I’ve always been able to hop on a plane to visit my family. The fact that every blessing I could think of is available to us. That pause in the conversation changed my day, brought me unbelievable gratitude, and strengthened my resolve for the work we are doing in Africa. Those magical moments are available every moment of the day, if we leave space to let them unfold.

Later that morning my husband and I were leaving the hotel, walking hurriedly to the car, although in fact we would have had plenty of time to stroll. I said something to him, which he misheard in our rush. I straightened out the miscommunication and then reflected on the fact that we are often ‘rushing to nowhere.’ And when we are rushing to nowhere, we don’t let the magic moments in.

Focus Tip: Take a moment today to commit to pauses in your conversations. In your next conversation with someone, be it in person or on the phone, just pause at the end of a sentence and see what happens. And give it a long, determined pause. Perhaps that person will share something with you that will change your day, bring you gratitude and strengthen your resolve!