I know people are going to say things like when I got married. Or when my kids were born. And those are some pretty good events to have in a lifetime. But those weren't my happiest moments.
Brigid and I got married in a fantastic ceremony at the Elkridge Furnace in before about 100 family members and close friends. It was an outdoor wedding in May and I was sweating like crazy on the alter. Brigid looked beautiful, I looked like a big wet floppy mess. Then to add stress on top of the Brig wanted a dance. Not a stand together and move around in a circle first dance. A real life, let's take dance classes dance. No I don't like to dance. And it's not that I don't think I can dance, or that I don't like to dance. It's that I'm 6'5" tall and I stick out like a sore thumb. I think if I could hide amongst all the other goofy people dancing I would have a great time. So we went and took our private dance lessons and I was worried about it the whole day. I didn't want to step on her dress, I didn't want to fall down, I didn't want to look like an idiot. So up until the point that the dance was over, I was so stressed ABOUT the dance that I wasn't as happy as I should've been.
When your kids are born should also be one of your happiest moments. Both of mine were terrifying. Maybe the third time is the charm. With kid one I didn't have a clue on how to take care of a baby. And when kid two came along I had the pleasure of seeing my wife almost die and the baby spend 2 weeks in the NICU. Not exactly happy moments. But everything has worked out, kid one is now a teenager and doing great. Haven't ruined him yet and kid two is wicked smart and knows how to push every single button I have at the age of 3 1/2.
So Gundar, what exactly is your happiest moment?
This is my happiest moment. This picture was taken on our honeymoon almost 5 years ago. We were fortunate to get to go to Hawaii and we had the best time. Even with Brigid getting sick in the middle of the week. That day I had to sit by the pool and look out at the scene below.
Poor me, right?
We got to see waterfalls and scenery that I had only seen on TV. We actually went swimming at the bottom of a couple of falls. Very cold water, let me tell you.
It wasn't just the scenery and the travel that made it my happiest time. It was because it was just Brigid and I. We didn't have to worry about work or daycare. We didn't have to worry if the roof was going to leak or the basement was going to flood. We had each other and could wake up and get some breakfast. Or not. Who cared? We saw what we wanted to when we wanted to.
It's important to remember that your happiest moment is yours. No one can take that away. We'd be better off if we could bring a little of that happiness to our everyday lives. Man, that water was cold.
2 comments:
I'll chime in just b/c I'm a chiming in kind of person.
Mine was the day I got engaged. Long story and not really all that interesting except to Ron and me. Even longer story short: I'd had a really hellish previous four years, and to have someone good and kind say they wanted to be with me forever was about as complete a 180 as I ever thought I'd experience.
Watching my son play the lead in a musical this past December runs a pretty close second. I didn't know until then the kind of joy you can take in your kids' happiness.
I love that you chimed in Bobbie! I have a proudest moment that involves Jonathan and basketball but I'll have to save that for another time. :) Kids run the gamut of emotions that they can make you feel!
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