Capturing the Moment (“Live,” continued)

Living in the moment – taking advantage of the features of KARL™ to know, accept, relax and live – is easy enough in concept. But a bitter harder in execution. We keep getting ahead of ourselves!

To give you yet another beautiful example of how simple this concept of living in the now can be, and how rewarding it is, I’d like to share a personal story with you.

Recently, I was in Santa Barbara, Calif., to witness the wedding of a girlfriend of mine, whom I’ve known well for more than 15 years. As she was walking down the aisle, or in her case down the stairs at the open-air wedding area of her temple, she took her time. She stopped at each row, smiled and looked into the eyes of her guests and friends and nodded and acknowledged us. She took a moment for each of us to share that moment with her, that special time, and in such a way, with such thoughtfulness for who she was and who we were in her life, that those fleeting seconds become unforgettable memories.

My friend, as she was walking down the stairs, was in tears, tears of love and friendship. And so too were we: We were touched by this simple and powerful gesture. Some friends later described it as so “her” to do that.

Always the photographer that I am, I was able to capture this moment. Later, when I looked at the pictures, one image stood out. It shows my friend stopped, looking to the left, and her beautiful face glowing from the inside out. I couldn’t help but think that her wedding was so different from other weddings I had attended. Instead of walking straight ahead toward the groom, my friend Ninaya took in so much more, and gave out so much more. She was living her moment to the fullest, and she brought us with her.

As I watched her, I thought about the concept of Women Who Want It All, and how we so often forget to stop and look at, truly appreciate, what is around us. Perhaps some of the greatest beauty is found in the little gifts to our left, and to our right or, as in the case of my friend Ninaya, through the support and love of her friends whom she gave so much to by simply being present for them and acknowledging them in her simple gesture. Imagine what we can gain if we’d only realized how much support is all around us?

Right now, if each of you were right here with me, I can imagine myself looking at you, smiling, nodding, and asking you to take the time you need to live.

Now, take a moment and think about what you’ve done to appreciate the special moment today – or what you see right before you now, as you read this, that makes you appreciate where you are. It doesn’t have to be much – because there’s so much beauty in the everyday. Let me know what you’re thinking, because your thoughts help us all. Thank you for sharing!