The rain lightly pounded the roof of our vehicle while we sat inside, safe and warm, sheltered from the sudden summer storm that had moved in.
We passed around sandwiches and chips, laughing together and watching tourists dash for their cars.
By the time the storm passed, we piled out of the vehicle and set off on our hike around Moraine Lake, which was by then damp, fragrant… and pleasantly tourist-free. 🙂
It’s now been several weeks since our last trip to Banff National Park, but my mind keeps going back to the minutes we spent in that parking space at the base of the trail, cuddled up in our vehicle while the rain dripped all around us.
It seems that whenever we finish a big outing or vacation together, the moments that stand out to me most aren’t always the “loud, shiny” ones, like walking on top of a glacier or canoeing the Bow River.
It’s the more unassuming moments that stay with me.
It’s the memory of standing side by side with my family at the trail head overlooking Peyto Lake, close to sunset, as we watched a squirrel scavenge for food and remarked to each other (for the millionth time) just how brilliant blue the water actually is in real life.
It’s the time we stopped in the middle of the road to let a herd of elk cross. All of us quiet, in awe of the animals being so close and not wanting to interrupt the moment.
It’s a rest stop along the trail with my middle daughter, while the rest of the tribe caught up to us.
It’s the kids’ excitement over a puddle filled with tadpoles—right in the grandeur of Banff National Park, no less.
It’s the thrill I see in my children’s eyes when I let them stay up late on our last night to wander downtown Banff under the first stars.
These moments are the only souvenirs I need from any adventure we go on.
When It All Began
My love for the small moments circles back to the year we spent on a tiny island in the Dutch Caribbean, away from family and so many of the comforts of home. It was then that we learned how richly you can live when you’re living with less.
Instead of collecting more after-school activities and Amazon packages, we began to collect memories—moments.
Our new mantra, “collect moments, not things,” then carried us through the transition back to living in the States, where hustle and accumulation can be so tempting. {How to Make Time for What Matters Most}
A Simple Formula for Experiencing More “Moments”
In the years since our island adventure, we’ve experienced more of these precious moments—right in the middle of regular living—than I ever remember experiencing before we left. I think it’s partly because I’m more watchful, more mindful of them, but also because I’ve noticed a few elements that consistently help us create them:
1. A slower pace
When my mind is running faster than my feet, I know the special moments are going to be harder to spot. But when I clear some white space in our calendar, the magic is far more likely to happen.
Going hand in hand with pace is the distraction of our “things.” A mind that is occupied with its possessions has less room to notice and appreciate the nonmaterial joys of life.
2. The great outdoors
While nature is by no means the only place we can experience in-the-moment living, it seems to be the very best conduit.
“There’s no wifi in the forest, but you will find a better connection.”
With our Canadian roots, our family has been blessed to collect hundreds of moments in the majesty of Banff National Park. There’s something about exploring a new area that dismisses all the worries in your mind and allows you to take each minute as it comes. And although we’ve been to Banff several times as a family, we find that there is always something new to discover—a brand new memory to be made.
3. A little curiosity.
Do you ever wonder…
What would it feel like to order dinner in and go spend the afternoon in the yard with the kids instead of walking laps between the stove and the fridge?
What would it feel like to leave work an hour early and take the kids to the creek to build a dam out of rocks and sticks? {30 Simple Ways to Immerse Your Kids in Nature}
Or simply…
What would it feel like to convince this squirrel to eat out of my hand?
Thankfully, I have my children to help me with THAT kind of curiosity. Which brings me to my last point—
4. A child
Isn’t it incredible to see the world through a child’s eyes? They remind us not to hurry, to shrug off our worries and dwell in the present, and to embrace simple joys.
—
This isn’t to say that all four of these are necessary to create those unassuming moments we all treasure. Sometimes, when we’re in the right frame of mind, one or two will do the trick.
But on the occasions when the stars align and we have all four elements—a slower pace, a beautiful outdoor setting like Banff, a touch of curiosity, and a child’s vantage point—the moments we’re looking for are sure to come.
If this post struck a chord you might also enjoy….
Living Simply so We Can Explore More
What Families Gain from Time Spent Outdoors
12 Life Lessons Children Learn from Hiking
The Value of Letting Young Kids Experience Nature
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“Collect moments, not things” is one of my favourite sayings, so I was instantly drawn to this post. Once you had my attention I was hooked because you write with such beauty and elegance!
We spent some time travelling around Canada over ten years ago now and I still remember its beauty. It’s a majestic part of the world and your words do it justice.
Some of favourite nights at home are when we make sandwiches and take a picnic in the front yard or take some sausages and have a bbq at the beach with the kids. It can turn a bad day into a special day.
This piece reminds me that I don’t take my kids out to explore our part of the world nearly enough (I am in Cairns, Australia) and I should make more time to enjoy it.
thanks so much for sharing this post!