Commit to a Pause {CELEBRATE This Week: 131}

 

I'm glad you are here to celebrate! Share a link to your blog post below and/or use #celebratelu to share celebrations on Twitter. Check out the details here. Celebrate This Week goes live on Friday night around 10(ish). Consider it as a weekend celebration. Whenever it fits in your life, add your link. Please leave a little comment love for the person who links before you.

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I have a favorite hashtag: #hijackedbysam. HijackedbySam is even a tag on this blog, but it only has a single post. I wish #hijackedbysam were in use more often. (Sigh.)

The latest #hijackedbysam post on Instagram.

We were running a little late to an appointment, all piled into the car, and I shoved the keys into the ignition, only they didn't fit. I held them up and said, "Who knew the car keys won't start the van?"

The kids laughed and someone said, "Might as well take the car." So we all tumbled out and scurried to the car. In my rush, I ran into Sam. He fell down and I helped him up. "Why'd you stop?" I asked, dusting off his knees.

"Look at the sky, Mom." I followed his gaze to the west. "Isn't it amazing?"

Did I mention we were late to an appointment? I didn't respond because I was still sorting through what not to say in my mind.

"Just look at it," Sam continued. "It has a line between dark and light. Can I take a picture?"

I wanted to say Absolutely not. We are already late. Get in the car. Instead I took a deep breath and handed over my phone. 

Sam snapped some pictures and slid into the car. "Thanks so much, Mom. I just love these pictures. The sky is rare today. You should put this on Instagram."

"Why don't you post it?"

Sam said, "Great idea! I'll use my hashtag, hijacked by Sam."

Later, at bedtime, Sam said, "I'm glad you waited while I took that picture. It's one that's going to stick with me. Did you see the line between dark and light? And the way the sun rays were stretching out? I think it means something more than just a picture."

I snickered and tucked him in. At the end of the day, after everyone is in bed and the house is almost too-quiet, I took the time to look at the picture he snapped. I paused, soaking in the picture taken from Sam's perspective.

I realized how close I came to missing the sky. What was so important that it seemed like such an ordeal to let Sam take a picture? Did it even matter to the outcome of the day? 

Looking at the picture, I was reminded of the importance of a pause. The more pauses I add into a day, the more chances I have to capture celebration. It is in the pause that I'm able to choose to celebrate. I think the whole wide world would be a place to celebrate if we all committed to pause.

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Thanks for celebrating!

 

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