The Sum of Our Parts

I was driving back to my place one night this week, while singing along to Eyes Closed by Ed Sheerhan, a catchy tune if you haven’t heard it yet, but then again what tune by him is not catchy.

Anyway, as I was driving, and singing along, I had a sudden flashback moment to singing in college.

For those of you who don’t know, I majored in music education for my undergrad and my primary instrument was voice.

During my senior year many things happened, which lead to my not being able to complete my senior music recital, essentially, the culmination of my entire collegiate career’s work.

At the time it was one of the worst things that had ever happened to me.

As I sang along tonight in the car, I had a flashback moment to that moment in time, when I couldn’t sing, and couldn’t take part in the highlight of my collegiate career.

It was this memory that got me thinking about the best and worst moments of our lives.

Each and every time something great or something terrible happens in our lives, they are, at the present moment, the best and worst moments of our lives.

It isn’t until the next worst or best thing that we suddenly move on to say, no, this is the best or worst moment in our lives.

Until ultimately we realize that we are a summation of our worst and best moments.

These moments which showcase true joy or utter devastation.

Moments that bring tears of joy or sadness.

Moments that showcase the grit we either have or don’t have.

And there are some of us that can say we’ve truly experienced the actual worst moments of our lives. The unthinkable when it becomes the thinkable. Moments we never thought we’d have to endure so we just never imagined them in our lives at all.

Moments that define us. Moments that either propel you forward or hold you in stalemate.

Moments we’d never wish on another human.

And yet, we do our best to move forward.

Some move forward quicker than others. Some take longer than others. Some require more help than others.

So I ask you, as I pause to think about the absolute worst moment of my life, one I’d wish on no one, would it be your worst?

As well as the absolute best moment of my life that brought me pure joy, would it be yours?

What’s the absolute worst and best moment of your life?

And isn’t it funny how a simple singalong can sometimes cause it all to come back?