Heart Sighs

I just received an email from a friend about a child looking for puppy size. Turns out she's looking for puppy's sighs, because her mother said that love depends on the sighs of the heart. So she knows that a puppy loves her when it sighed when she held it in her arms. But what I struck me most about the story was the 'footnote' at the end of the story and it goes something like this...



Close your eyes for a moment and think about the love that makes you sigh. I not only find it in the arms of my loved ones, but in the caress of a sunset, the kiss of the moonlight and the gentle brush of cool air on a hot day. They are the sighs of God. Take the time to stop and listen; you will be surprised at what you hear.



"Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath. - Anon



It got me thinking what are the moments that take my breath away? More often than not, we have days that doesn't have any kind of moments at all, but just a series of blah and routinely events leading to the culminating activity of lying on bed, closing our eyes and finally drifting off to sleep. We go through the motions of living, not realizing that life is filled with 'heart sighs' (I'll call them 'heart sighs' from now on.) A stranger smiling at you when you're feeling that the world is so unfriendly. Seeing the dog grinning at you with that sweet smile of his after a harrowing day at the office. Eating melting excess chocolate off of your fingers, after dieting and eating vegetables for weeks. Licking a big scoop of pistachio ice cream on special waffle cone in a hot summer day. Having a hand to hold when you're feeling especially afraid. Getting a hug when you need reassurance that you're not alone. Receiving a handmade gift given at your birthday. Listening to a song that gives back memories of years gone by. A book that takes you places and lets you meet new interesting people. Comfortable silence shared between friends or between old lovers. The list is endless. And all are worth taking notes of. After all, these are the moments that make life worth living.



That's why I love life's surprises. Life sometimes surprises you in the oddest moments and gives you moments that will make you smile, and if you're really lucky, will make your heart sigh.



Take the time to listen. You'll be surprised that your heart sighs a lot.