There is no greater gift than to be where you want to be, doing what you want to do, and with whom you want to do it. At this moment it is sitting on the rooftop of Hotel Farnese in Roma, Italy with my daughter who has recently graduated with honors from high school having a simple breakfast and drafting this blog post while she watches her favorite YouTubers. 

I was sharing with my daughter that oftentimes people fail to prioritize experiencing the moment. They simply are not aware that they could or even should be aware of their “now”. There is a healing effect from sincerely beginning self aware. Feeling the realization that you are alive and becoming aware of your breath and heartbeat and sensations of feeling, the air on your skin, and the unique sounds all around you. Becoming aware of your own thoughts so much so that you can actually control them. 

Sobering are the moments that you realize that you “are”, that you exist. 

I also shared with her that you can then slowly expand your awareness outside of yourself and notice all the life and lives around you both animate and inanimate, for all things expire from their current form or way of being. You see, real life is not experienced in the yesterdays or the tomorrows. It is captured in the now. This is where futures are drafted and memories carved. For those very close to me they often hear that I am keen to experience moments and create memories. 

I will be that old cool ass gent sitting someday in a rocking chair (maybe on the Moon or Mars) with grandchildren around laughing and enjoying themselves. And I’ll have this mischievous or even playful grin on my face as I relive, in my mind, some of the very best memories and moments. I’ll watch the birth of my son and hesitantly cut the squishy umbilical cord, hold him in my hands counting fingers and toes and making sure that both of his eyes are looking at me. I’ll relive my daughters first day of school where she joyfully bounced and skipped off to join the other children when I was expecting and even wanting her to throw herself off the ground because she didn’t want to leave us. I’ll remember my dad’s phone call out of the blue sharing how proud he was of my accomplishments and more over the kind of man I had become. I’ll remember the many intimate moments where time screeched to a halt with bursts of motions of love and eye gazes along with intertwined spirits that seemed to defy gravity, space, and time. I’ll remember the love of, and pleasures of those that have transcended into the next life. I’ll remember everything!!! Each and every detail with precision and in full color leaving no detail without distinction. After all, what else can I take with me as I age and hopefully in the beyond. 

It’s all about “Memories and Moments”. This is my gift to myself…
– Johnnie Moore