With the festivities of the holiday season behind us, I recall the last couple of weeks or so and notice something more and more prolific in our lives… that we now record the moments of our lives with such ease that sometimes we get more involved in capturing the moment, than actually experiencing it!
The reverence that was once given to the recording of a special moment, seems to have withered as the ease with which we can capture a moment, preserve it, and scrutinise it has increased. Whilst I agree, the technology that allows us to do this is amazing, surely it was designed to ‘enhance’ our experiences, not distract us from them…
I remember being at a concert at Wembley Stadium on July 16th, 1988. I remember the roar of the 
crowd as the gates opened and people poured on to the pitch in a race to get near the front. I remember hearing Orff’s Carmina Burana building to a crescendo, before feeling the heat of the fireworks on my face as Michael Jackson exploded up through the stage, and the sound AND feeling of 90,000 fans screaming… and I don’t have a single photo, selfie or otherwise, but the hairs on the back of my neck still stand up when I think about it and recall every vivid detail… I was fully present in the moment, experiencing every deafening, eye-popping second of it!
As I thought about last couple of weeks, I realised what precious memories I have from that time, and how I can recall so many little details, the way my oldest granddaughters face lit up, when I suggested I take time off from cooking Christmas lunch to help her set up her microscope, the feel of my younger granddaughters tiny, chubby fingers exploring my face, and holding my wife’s hand while we sit and watch a movie…
All of this dawned on me when I realised how few photo’s I’d taken, and how many memories I had created. So let me suggest that this year be the year that we re-engage with one another, talk to each other, laugh with each other, love each other, whatever you do, don’t miss the opportunities to connect with those around you…