The Side of a Cereal Box

The grand sum of experience is marked not by those rare moments that stand out in great relief. Such points reach too high and burn too bright to cast a true reflection. Instead, life is found in the twilight spaces far removed from the glorious light. In other words, life is a constellation composed of the invisible and forgettable happenings that occur between the stars.

When I proposed to my wife, we created a point. Our vows at the church a few months later created another. Don't get me wrong- I'll always remember those moments, but for me the space between is what gave both occasions so much meaning.

To summarize the entire engagement- to reduce it into two quick flashes of time- does the grand parade of life that occured in the middle a great disservice.

Life for me was far sweeter when she ran to tell her mother the news with quick steps and hushed excitement. Life for me was fuller when we spent time selecting rehearsal dinner menus and finding a place to hold the reception. And life was far grander the nights we spent driving on the Natchez Trace, discussing the possibilities of a life spent together.

In the landscape of life, there are far more fields than mountains. I'll enjoy the view from the top, but I'll do my living down below.