Day 671

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away!" -Maya Angelou'

This quote hangs in our front hall. Deep and personal to my own being, it is a basic truth of a life well lived. There have been many breath-taking moments in my own life...some choreographed, others spontaneous. All of these magical events are tucked away in my heart.

Today, as I walked my Goldens, the snow began to fall in all of its glory! Stopping to wait for Lilly, Ranger and I stood together as the crystals fell on his back and reminded me of the quote I love so. The beautiful, unique flakes continued to dance down as I examined each one's intricacy on that Golden back. Yes, my breath was taken away as I pondered how different each was, but each beautiful in its own way.

As our walk continued, I remembered the many breath-taking moments in my life:

Choreographed:

*Seeing the ocean for the very first time

*Being there for the birth of Sweet Asher

*Rounding a corner in Paris and seeing the Eiffel Tower

*Seeing the Rockies for the first time

*Having a hummingbird eat from the feeder in my hand

Spontaneous:

*Experiencing the Northern Lights

*Watching 14 swans fly directly overhead

*Seeing a double rainbow

*Watching a humpback breach in the ocean

*Coming upon a buck in the woods

*Hearing Asher say "I love you, Nanny!" out of the blue

There are so many other moments that have "taken my breath away"...too many to list. However, as Lilly and Ranger had their second walk, something told me to look upwards. There, flying directly at us, was a majestic eagle. Swooping down so low that we actually had eye contact, I could almost hear him say, "Be alert for more moments that take your breath away." Those moments are everywhere...every day. We need only to be watching for these miracles!