Little Moments

It's the little moments that shape your life. Little suggestions, little decisions. In this moment, I'm going to retreat inside myself. In this moment, I'm going to reach out to someone else. In this moment, I'm going to be better. In this moment, I'm going to give in.

I'm always wary of little moments. I watch for them continuously. Those little moments are when habits are formed, characters created, and destinies are formed. Or, perhaps the destiny is already there, but the little moments determine the road you take to get there. Will I be surrounded by friends and family? Will I be bolstered by past experience and able to confidently forge my way through? Will I be hesitant, floundering, make my way through by happenstance and accident?

With each new event, I feel myself being forged anew. Old imperfections are, at times, burned out, or brought closer to the surface where they can rear their ugly heads for awhile before they, too, are burned out. At times, new imperfections are formed, or perhaps discovered.

Regardless, even events are filled with moments. In each moment lies the choice: will I reach out? Will I retreat? Will I accept mediocrity in myself? Will I strive for something greater? Will I make the most of this moment? Will I have the energy to do so?

The wonderful and terrible thing is that thousands of moments now lie in the past, shaping the form of me today. Each moment that I have reached beyond myself in the past is one that makes reaching out in this moment more likely. If I reach out in this moment, I will be more likely to reach out in the future.

And the interesting thing is that, when reaching, I must stretch outside of what is comfortable. I must go to greater distances, heights, achievements. I focus on that which is not myself. And only when I reach out do I myself become a greater person.