The Moments That Take Our Breath Away
May 12, 2009 | Filed under Life
I’m not normally one for passing on chain emails, but I received the following from my cousin and thought it particularly apt:
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbour. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things.
We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete…
Remember: spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever; say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side; to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent; to say, ‘I love you’ to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you; to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.
Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind. AND ALWAYS REMEMBER: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
I’ve been trying in recent times to simplify my life – from reducing the amount of possessions I have, to simply not taking the little moments for granted. To appreciating the people in my life, and doing my best to let them know what they mean to me. It’s sad that it’s taken twenty-two years for me to begin to appreciate life for what it has, rather than what it could have, but the fact that I finally got here is important.
If only everyone else could learn to slow down and enjoy life – the world would be a better place.
7 Responses to The Moments That Take Our Breath Away
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Thank you for sharing this with us. It’s always refreshing to change a mindset from the everyday routine and remember what life is all about. Or I guess, how to live it more enjoyably and get the most out of it.
I just pasted the chain letter into my google docs because I think parts of it would make a fabulous poster. Or be really nice screenprinted on a shirt/skirt…
Erin on May 13, 2009 #
I can see why you wanted to pass this on. Like very few chain emails this actually hits spot on.
I mainly have a problem with the “we’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life”-part of this.. After 15 years of school I have learned the MOST irrelevant things, but I still fail at everything in life. Why was I never thought how to have a normal relationship, how to keep my apartment from looking like a complete dump or even how to just be happy. I know exactly what to do to get an A on a test, but I don’t know how to make a new friend.. Aand so on..
Now, what I’d like to know is what the fuck do I do to change this??
Cecelia on May 13, 2009 #
Now that I read the chain mail, I find it pretty funny that we do so many things to “simplify” our lives, yet we never actually enjoy the simplified life that’s the result of us trying to make it more simple. Hopefully that makes sense.
I think the problem with society today is that there always needs to be a constant room for improvement. It’s as if what we have isn’t good enough, and thus we try to keep “revamping” what we have, instead of using the things we already have to live out our lives. Don’t get me wrong; improvements are nice. But we already have most of the basics for survival and many conveniences needed to achieve those basics…so why improve on something that’s already giving us a lot?
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Merinn on May 13, 2009 #
“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.”
I’ve always loved this quote… cheesy as it is.
You’d think that because life has been made easier for us by technology, we’d have more time to just sit back and relax but that’s not the case… Dishwashers, computers, etc. have made things less labor-intensive than in the past but instead of using the time they’ve bought us to do things like spend time with people we care about, we just use the extra time to add more to our to-do lists… It’s sad how some of us will never be contented. Don’t get me wrong… I love the idea of working towards a goal but some people are just never happy with where they are and I think that’s just sad.
Felisa on May 13, 2009 #
I like touching chain letters.
The other day my little cousin sent me one (that was nowhere near as eloquent as this one) that was just adorable. It was a little thing that counted!
Also, I THUMB MY NOSE AT YOU NO-LEGGINGS-AS-PANTS-ERS. :]
Shen-Shen on May 13, 2009 #
Eh, seen it before. :P
It’s an interesting piece, and sounds nice and pretty, but it doesn’t do anything if it doesn’t really inspire people to stop and savor the moments. On the other hand, you’re learning that already without the chain e-mail. :)
Stephanie on May 13, 2009 #
I like the message behind it (most of it anyway) but the way it’s presented reminds me of my one health teacher, who is very Christian. He talks like this sometimes (mostly about doing drugs) and is very preachy. I don’t know, it’s just a sour taste.
I can sort of empathize though. Slowing down and appreciating life is the one thing I’d really like to accomplish. I just need to get the hang of it. Taking 23 years to get it doesn’t seem like too long; it’s hard to learn to live for right now and enjoy it.
Josh on May 14, 2009 #