Swept Away

When was the last time you were swept off your feet? You know, a moment when everything melted away, and you were dazzled in pure amazement.  Was it a sunset at the beach? Was it a street in the city? Was it a look, a touch, a scent, a sound?  What was it that sent you reeling, just for a moment, and keeps you locked in a desperate search to recreate those special circumstances that sent a jolt of electricity through your body so you can be swept away again?

There's a quote I've heard that sums it all up:

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.”

I don't know who wrote it (the authorship is unclear), but that doesn't diminish the power of the words.

Think about today, or this week, or this month.  How many times did you catch your breath?  Do you remember them?  If you're like me, they are few and far between, but when they happen they cling to the ribs of your being.  We don't remember tying our shoes, or doing the dishes, or any of the other mundane moments of our lives.  But we do remember those breathless moments.  Those moments when you're scared, those moments when you're at the edge, those moments when the outcome is so uncertain that you just have to hold your breath in anticipation of seeing What's Next.

So here's my question: "What can you do to spark more breathless moments?" First you have to be aware when they happen.  You have to pinch yourself and remember how it smelled, tasted, looked when you're swept away.  Once you are truly aware of your own state, and of being in a breathless moment, maybe, just maybe you can start to craft the spell again, voluntarily, in the future.

So what are you waiting for.  Go on.  Spark a breathless moment ... we're waiting.

See you on the wire.

-- Steven Cardinale