Dominic and I had a good chunk of time with just the two of us tonight. I’m so grateful for the times when he’s in a talkative mood like he was tonight, I’ll soak those moments up as much as possible.

During our conversation tonight we covered a ton of topics, some weighty but most fun. One of the parts I enjoyed the most was listening to Dominic think out loud about the places in the world he’d most like to go back to visit and why. He even mentioned possible interest in living in some of them. The reason I’m grateful for that part of the conversation specifically is threefold.

First off, I’m glad we’ve traveled with the boys to help them see how big the world is and how much there is to explore. Hearing him share the differences between stargazing in Hawaii and Utah (which he hasn’t been to yet) and comparing parts of Australia, New Zealand, and Alaska. Hearing him use his experience to see the grandeur of the planet makes me smile from ear to ear.

Second, when he speaks of it he expresses his heartfelt gratitude for the opportunities and blessings he’s had to have had these experiences. Dominic understands that these are possible of hard work, sacrifice, luck, and, most importantly, from dreaming big. Hearing him speak in almost reverent tones about those experiences makes him sound wise beyond his years.

Last, I’m so glad that he sees life as a gift to be enjoyed and appreciated and the entire world as limitless opportunities. When Dominic is thinking about living out his life he’s not confining himself to one city, state, country or even continent. He’s seeing that where he lives is his choice to make as opposed to a predestined location. I remember dreaming of moving out west and living in the mountains. While I didn’t (at least not yet) there was a magic in knowing that I was choosing where to live that helps to change my perspective to one of positivity. Knowing that he’s already on that train of thought is awesome. His life is his choice, not his obligation.

All of that talk with him coupled with our recent Scouting canoe trip got me more excited for the next mini-adventure. In the not too distant future I’m heading out on a kayak / camping trip for a couple of days. With the wind in my sails I spent more time than I expected tonight going over plans and packing. My goal is to go as minimal as possible (though not as minimal as the Dollar Store Challenge earlier this year). That said, I’m grateful for melding a handful of ideas and experiences together into a experience that is socially distant and yet fun.

Thinking of that specifically, my post from yesterday inspired me to keep looking for more pockets of normal and then I realized I may have been looking at this a little incorrectly. I should really be looking for pockets of awesome in the present, regardless of how it is shaped. In every moment of life there are limiting factors. Some are real, others are largely imagined. If I stay focused on my purpose and my dreams I can find a way to make magic in almost any moment, it is up to me to find it, make the most of the moment and to appreciate it. My big takeaway is that I need to stop comparing now to then as then has past and now is all that exists (though not at the expense of screwing up the potential future). Hmm… That hit home more than I thought. How much time have I wasted comparing now to a time that no longer exists? This will definitely stay top of mind for a while…

Thanks!!!