Recently, Rev. Candi and I traveled to Amherst to see the 2026 Oscar nominated "Short Films".  Amherst Cinema presented all five films, each about 15- 20 minutes in length, in one evening for viewers to enjoy.  We were thoroughly entertained by the wide variety of content and the sharing of such thoughtful and interesting snippets of life.

As we drove home, I was considering how the meaningful moments of our lives often come in tiny little bite-sized nuggets rather than hours or days long affairs.  Think about celebrations like weddings, funerals, and graduations.  We look forward to such events for months, or even years.  Then, the day arrives and we trudge through it wishing it felt more monumental because it is marking an important day in our lives. But does it ever live up to the hype?  And what are we missing in the small ordinary moments because of our obsession with "the day" to come?

Think about when you have been most moved...

Maybe it was hearing your child say, "Mama" or "Dada" for the first time.  In a split second, you inhabit a role differently because of those gurgled words.

Maybe you felt your heart catch the first time you encountered someone who you just knew was going to be important in your life.

Maybe it was the moment something you were learning finally "clicked", and it was like opening the door to future understanding in a big way.

We've all had those momentary experiences where instantly we felt something deeply, but our brains often don't record them.  They are usually not the kinds of occasions that we openly share with others, but they can be life changing, and yes, spirit changing flashes that stick with us in profound ways.

Celebrating the Big Things in life is important, for they are markers of our lives, known to all and worthy of lifting up!  But, perhaps it is the more subtle experiences that gradually add up and actually build us into who we are.  Those "shorts" of our lives stack on top of one another to create a remarkable existence, but only if we actually take stock of them, and revisit them in our minds.  The "reel" of our lives is one that deserves to be re-lived, for each time we do, it is as if God is reminding us of what is truly important, and what actually molds and shapes us.

What is your latest "short" moment that you just knew signaled some important shift or cemented something for you?  Perhaps that was actually God whispering gently in your ear, "Wake up!  THIS is something you don't want to miss!"

In Light and Love,

Rev. Cindy