The Perfect Moment

It is my belief that throughout a person's lifetime they experience a number of what I will call "Perfect Moments".  There are actually two types of Perfect Moments.  The first is simply one of those life experiences that you want to last a lifetime.  Did you ever wake up from a dream and immediately want to fall back asleep and go back into the dream?  It's kind of like that.  I'll give you an example.  One of the first evenings I spent with my wife was before we were even dating.  We stopped after work at a local pub in Royal Oak and ordered Bloody Marys.  I think we sat in that bar and sipped Bloody Marys for what seemed hours.  All we did was talk.  It was a very innocent evening of conversation, laughter and sharing experiences.  I remember being so terribly disappointed when the evening ended.  It was one of those Perfect Moments when I wished I could have just stopped time and enjoyed the experience forever.  I have experienced many of these over the past 30 years.

The other Perfect Moment is a bit more complex and requires thought, action and frequently a bit of bravery on the part of the participant. This is a moment in time when all of the planets align, circumstances fall appropriately into place and an opportunity presents itself with astounding clarity.  Now all you have to do is choose to act.  If you are a guy, think about the first time you felt like you wanted to kiss that special girl and you even felt like she was hoping you would.  Did you act on that Perfect Moment?  Or maybe it was that time when it seemed like you could cut the sexual tension in the air with a knife. You felt it, she felt it and the location and circumstances were perfect.  Did you act on that Perfect Moment?

Of course it is not always about the activities between a man and a woman; those are just the most intensely charged moments.  I have personally had Perfect Moments in sporting activities.  I am playing well and I know I can make this shot.  It is a high risk/reward play but everything inside me says, "Go for it".  Did I choose to take the shot or layup and play it safe?

I can say with certainty that I went for it in sports far more often then I did when it meant putting my emotions and feelings at risk!  However, it is those moments when you put it all on the line that makes life worth living.  It is in those Perfect Moments that we feel most alive.  Not just in the outcome but also in the process of making the decision and acting on it.

I think those that truly enjoy life are expert at recognizing when those moments exist and when presented with those opportunities, as the song says, "I hope you dance"!!!!