Moments of Perfection

I am grateful that I have had moments in my life that I like to call "moments of perfection," and I hope everyone else is able to experience similar things AND be able to recognize them when they occur.

First, I want to make it clear that I make a distinction between these moments and a whole host of other memories and experiences that I value just as much and that might even mean MORE to me than these particular moments.  With that said, let me share a few such moments with you if you are willing to read about them.

It should be no surprise that one such moment has something to do with green and growing things - and this photo came about not long AFTER I experienced the fleeting perfection that was only seconds long.  There was a perfect breeze - just enough to waft the fragrance of iris to my nostrils as I walked happily by the rainbow of color that was greeting me.  The sunlight was filtered, so it did not bleach out their colors and the temperatures were about as comfortable as they could be.  My best friend was enjoying the moment with me - and I realized this was the best iris display I had ever seen and might ever see.  

It was a result of years of work by the two of us.  And there we were, at that moment, drinking it all in at a moment where everything was... perfect.

Many of these moments have happened for me when there are components of the physical and the mental involved.  In other words, I'm not a passive bystander - I am very definitely involved in some fashion.  And sometimes, at that moment, it feels like everything went in slow motion - just like the movies (only less corny - I hope).

As a baseball and fastpitch softball player, there were times that I did reasonably well.  But, there were a few times where my senses became more than they normally are.  I could see everything at once, but had tunnel vision for my objective (whatever that might be).  I can remember hearing my heartbeat and my breathing - and the sound my feet made as I ran.  But, even though I knew it was there, I did not hear the traffic on the road or people in the stands.

I wasn't worried about running out of breath.  I wasn't worried that I couldn't run fast enough.  My brain and my body were in harmony.  I knew I would succeed.  It was amazing then and incredible to think about now.

I guess it is only natural for me to equate times like that with moments of perfection - because I had such a complete connection to everything that was me in that moment of time.  And, oddly enough, I also aware of everything else at the same time.

Sure, I take delight that, in those moments, I succeeded in catching, hitting or throwing a ball.  But, it was the connection to everything that made it perfect.  The fact that the outcome was good for me is part of it, of course - for it would not be a moment of perfection if I had not achieved the goal.  There was nothing that could be changed to make it any better.

Hence, a moment of perfection.

I sometimes wonder if we lose our ability, over time, to experience the awe and wonder of a moment of perfection.  Do we load ourselves down with so much that we can't even put ourselves in the position of experiencing these moments anymore?  Or maybe, we have a quota that we are each allowed?  I don't know.

The good news is - I have these moments that I call perfection, that I can still recall.  I hope you do as well.  They may not be like mine at all.  Your ideas of perfection need not be the same and the criteria you use can be very different.  What is important is that you have them and that you add them to the pile of good things that bring about the awe and wonder in your life.