Take Time to Enjoy the Sunshine

“Enjoy the small delights that life offers.” – unknown

I live in the Okanagan Valley, where there are few sunny days in the winter. On one of those days, I was accomplishing a lot while my two-year-old slept. When he awoke from his nap, we looked outside and saw the sun beginning to cast shadows on our property. I quickly got Tanner dressed up and we raced outside. Sure enough, it was too late. My heart broke; I had put off enjoying the beautiful day until after I got some things done and now the sun was gone.

If I had gone out earlier we would have been able to enjoy our time in the sun’s rays, but because I put my to-do list first, we ended up walking in the mountain’s shadows.

There is a delicate balance between getting things done and taking time to enjoy the little things that make life grand. How fleeting these moments are! If we are too caught up in tasks, we often lose sight of the beautiful simplicity of life.

On another afternoon my son and I were skipping along the street, laughing and talking, when an elderly woman came up and hugged me. I was taken back. Then she spoke through her tears, “I love to see a mother taking time to be with her little child. They grow up so fast and before you know it they are gone! Thank you for being a good mother.” I am not sure what her story was–I wish I knew–but she left as quickly as she had come.

How many times do we hear this: “Enjoy them while they are young”? So often we forget about the moments of today and how precious and fleeting they are. When I look back on each day, I search for what I loved the most and without fail it is the time spent with a loved one, when I stopped for a time to just be, or when I did what mattered in that moment. Joy comes from embracing the gifts we are given: the laughter of a child, the burst of silliness, the moment of stillness when we feel our souls speak, the tender touch of a loved one, a child’s need to be comforted. I try to embrace these moments; I linger longer and soak it all in. Finding the good and the beauty in the here and now helps me more fully live each and every moment.

What makes life blissful? Our perspective and our ability to watch for the gifts of sunshine and then make the most of each day, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to live, love and laugh, to find joy through experience, peace through perspective, and love through understanding.

QUESTION: Do you let your ‘to-do’ list get in the way of serendipitous moments of joy? How can you keep perspective during the struggles and difficult times?

CHALLENGE: Today, be watchful, catch the joy when the moment presents itself and let your whole soul embrace the gift. Don’t let life’s treasures elude you. Let them be what they will be, and enjoy.

About Chantelle Adams

Chantelle lives in beautiful British Columbia with her husband and their four children. Together they enjoy many adventures, boating, skiing, motor-biking, camping and hiking, to name a few. But the little things are just as important: the pillow fights, dancing around the house, the late-night talks and snuggling up together to read a good book.

Her passion is educating kids, parents and educators about leading by example, making a difference, and living a life based on key values. Her company, Foundations for Success, has given her the perfect outlet to share this passion with the world.

Ever since she was a little girl, she has wanted to make a difference in the world and knows that raising four strong, responsible, compassionate children is helping her achieve that dream. Giving back in simple ways is one thing that has drawn her family closer and has provided countless moments of joy. Currently her children are spending their spare time raising money to build a school in Africa with Free the Children. Her desire to make a difference led her to become involved with The Power of Moms as the Director of Family Volunteering.
Motherhood moments that make it all worthwhile are scattered throughout each day and keep her going. The whispered, “I love you, Mom,” the belly-laugh of her four-year-old, and those beautiful moments when her children offer to help without even being asked are simple things that truly make life grand. She is grateful to cross paths with other mothers as we “struggle, laugh, cry and enjoy this journey of motherhood.”