Thankful for Defining Moments

Yesterday morning I had a defining moment.   I was waiting for my parents to call and let me know that they were coming over to pick me up for an outing we had planned.  I had specifically remembered my Mother telling me that we ‘should plan on being early’.  We were going to a local swap meet and then having lunch.  Lunch with my parents is almost always at 11:00am…so, when 10:30am rolled around and I hadn’t heard from them, I called their house and cell phones…no answer.

Normally, I wouldn’t worry.  My parents live very active lives for 82 and 84 years of age (sometimes they put me to shame!).  However, it was my Mother’s comment about being ‘early’ that stuck with me.

I stood in my little kitchen munching on potato chips thinking about where they could be.  Suddenly, everything got very quiet….no sounds of traffic outside, no birds chirping, no leaves rustling….just the sound of potato chips crunching in my mouth.

I thought about the last time I had spent with them…was it good?  Did we talk about happy things?  Did we enjoy each other’s company?  The earth seemed to stop moving and I was afraid that if I didn’t do something, I would stand in my kitchen forever.

I finally got in my car and drove over to their house. I live exactly 3 minutes from my parents and during that short drive my cell phone rang and my Mother was on the line….everything was fine….something about stopping to chat with a neighbor just returning from being away during our hot summer.

Quite honestly, I don’t remember much of her call….I just remember that everything wasn’t so quiet anymore…the earth had started moving again.  I was thankful….very thankful.

Thanksgiving Day is rapidly approaching…..

We ALL surely have something to be thankful for.  It could be as simple as waking up to another sunrise with eyes to be able to see it.  It could be the phone call from a child who has been given a stellar work evaluation and wants to share…it could be a hand-written letter in the mail, the smell of flowers in the winter, a warm breeze in Spring, a smile on a stranger’s face. It could be as simple as the sound of traffic, the birds chirping and the leaves rustling.

The Barn Antiques and Specialty Shops is thankful EVERYDAY for being able to do business in a community like Castle Rock, Colorado.  We are thankful for living in this Country (which affords us the opportunity to be small business owners and go after our dreams), we are thankful for our families and friends, and we are especially thankful for our loyal customers.

We will be closed on Thanksgiving Day in recognition of family time and time with friends and with hope that everyone will take a moment to find something to be thankful for.  Life is precious, mysterious, magical and full of defining moments…the earth keeps turning.  Let’s all be thankful!