Why We All Need to Stop Making Moments

And start living them.

Last week, I bumped into an old colleague on London’s Oxford Street — already rammed from kerb to shop-front with eager elbow-punching Christmas beavers, it was a bizarre feat of chance that we even managed to spot each other in the throng. Given that the last time we’d spoken was the summer, however, the conversation was a little idle.

“So, what are your plans over Christmas?” I asked.

“We’re off to Switzerland with the kids,” she answered. “I’ve just been doing a bit of shopping here for our trip actually. The holidays are the only quality time we really get as a family so everyone’s really looking forward to it.”

Really…

On the way home, I realised that her answer was playing a little too long on my mind.

Is that really the only quality time you get?

The rest of the conversation was mostly about her kids. How they’re five and nine and how every morning is a challenge getting them ready for school, especially now that mornings feel like you’re getting ready to catch a 6am flight. How she was powering her way up her career ladder as a Marketing Manager while Adam, her husband, had an equally demanding role directing events and was sometimes off travelling for two or three weeks at a time.

Yes, her family life sounded busy — I could understand why she was craving a break. But a break for quality time? There were plenty of moments for potential quality time nestled throughout her normal day.

Looking back, it’s the small things that aren’t considered ‘moments’ at the time, which have always made the best moments.

What about having a conversation with the kids on the way to school or involving them in dinner prep when they come home? What about the times it’s just you and your husband watching guilty pleasure TV and devouring an extra cheesy pizza between you? Looking back, it’s the small things that aren’t considered ‘moments’ at the time, which have always made the best moments.

Instead, for her, the winter holiday took centre stage as THE big moment they were…