Enjoy moments in between

As we rush from place to place and task to task each day, caught up in doing and going and planning, we don’t always stop to fully appreciate the in-between moments that weave themselves into the ever-growing tapestry of our days, weeks, months and years.

If we aren’t careful, we might not notice them at all.

One morning a few weeks ago, as I was making my way from one part of the county to another, I saw something out of the corner of my eye as I made my way along one of the many roads going through rural Franklin County.

Had I been a few seconds later, I would have missed it entirely, but as it happens, there was a chicken, just completing his journey of crossing the road. As I observed his quick and safe arrival to the non-proverbial other side, I felt a certain satisfaction in having been in the right place at the right time to witness it.

Seeing a real-life chicken finish crossing the road without having his motivations questioned put a little smile on my face.

In my humble musings, however, I decided his journey was most assuredly of a top-secret nature that certainly could not be freely divulged.

This weekend, as I was making my way to Hodges, I was going along, enjoying the day and absence of any other traffic when a huge bird – I’m assuming a buzzard – appeared from the right. He went swooping low over the road – surprisingly, alarmingly close to my vehicle and moving rapidly as he flapped his huge wings.

It scared us both, to be sure, as was evident almost immediately. Flustered, he floundered a bit. He got almost across then promptly dropped his meal into the other lane as he made a hasty departure, passing in front of me again to retreat across the road and fly off to parts unknown.

Among the other little moments I enjoy along the way are when I go home to find one or two kitty neighbors have come for a visit, sitting serenely in favorite spots or sometimes napping on a particular perch. The grey-and-white cat is the most frequent visitor, though I’ve seen an orange tabby – which I’ll always think of as a “Morris cat;” if you’re old enough to remember, you know – several times as well, sometimes at the same time.

One year recently we had a rabbit stay for a spell, though he seems to have moved closer to the neighborhood pond. We’ve seen him a few times since as we’ve gone along our way.

I also enjoy seeing the ducks and geese there. Seeing my fine feathered friends makes me smile as I go along my way, secure they’re out and about and having a nice day.

While these happenings might not be life-changing, they can enrich our experiences, adding spice to our usual routine. At times, they might even spark something greater – a new idea or understanding or a glimmer of something previously unconsidered.

At the very least, it’s a few moments of interest to break up the routine. So don’t forget to notice what’s happening in your in-between moments as you go about your day. You never know what might be right in front of you.