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Special times and moments

June 14, 2024   ·   0 Comments

By Jasen Obermeyer

Throughout life, there are times and moments that become special to us, experiences we look back on fondly.

Sure, there’s stuff we experience like graduations, milestone birthdays, weddings, holidays, anniversaries, things that most of us identify with.

First experiences are big highlights, too. First day of school, first date, concert, first time driving – just to name a few.

These special times can be a certain time of day or stretch out for several.

This past spring, my friend Marcus and I spent a day in Toronto to see a show at a small theatre. We spent the afternoon walking around, having dinner in an Italian restaurant, walking around a local park, then went to a poster store, and finally, the show. What started as a simple day turned into a very memorable one. Because of not just being with my friend, but exploring a city, doing different things, and making the most of that day.

Vacations definitely provide moments you remember, some of the best highlights of your life.

I’ll never forget as a kid, the days leading up to camping trips, making a list with my sister on things we’ll bring, like books, our favourite stuffed animals, and games. Then the day of going on a three or four hour car ride, everything packed tight, but being so excited to get there. And the whole experience during the week was so much fun.

Or destination trips, like Six Flags, Lake Placid, and Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, that become adventures. I reminisce on those trips, and it feels like a story, each vacation having an arc to it. It’s not just the destination that’s important, but the journey you remember.

Even standard times stick out in our memories as special ones. Because of not just what you’re doing, but who you’re sharing it with.

My closest friends and I often do various things together, sometimes multiple things in a day.

A couple of years ago, after almost a year of being unable to hangout, we gathered at my friend Kevin’s place, spent an afternoon going for a walk in the forest, exploring off the beaten path, and then spent the afternoon swimming. By the evening we played Cards Against Humanity till we tired ourselves out from laughing, at night playing video games outside on a projector.

We get together frequently, but this day is different. It comes easily to mind because of the various activities we did. We made the most of our time together.

Another time was in the spring of 2018. They came to my place to spend the majority of the day helping me cut down trees for firewood. It’s an arduous task if you’re by yourself, especially with the amount of wood to gather. But with my friends, it made it fun, something we did together. Then that evening we went to Alliston, got poutine, snacks, and other sweet treats to watch a movie at Kevin’s. Again, a seemingly ordinary get-together was just made more special because of the arc throughout the day. A beginning, middle, and end. 

Some days or moments are special to you individually, because they’re unique in the experience, and what they create going forward. A special seed that bears fruit to many special moments throughout life.

I’ll never forget getting my own Xbox 360. Spending the summer saving up, counting how much more I need to finally buy it. Then a rainy evening in September, going to Future Shop, my parents told me to come in, and pick up the box, saying “Okay, let’s go pay for it.” A complete surprise, as we split the cost. Coming home, setting it up, playing my first games on it, felt like Christmas morning. And all those memories of playing on it, with myself, friends and family, the new games I’d try; all those experiences and memories created, started that rainy night.

Sometimes ordinary days don’t seem special, but are memorable and stand out for what at first seems like odd reasons.

On a warm summer day in August 2016, I woke up early around 7 a.m., and just decided to bike along my road; incredibly quiet, like I was the only one around. After, I had breakfast, got gasoline, made a quick detour for a garage sale, and started cutting grass. I took a lunch break, finished cutting grass, and then enjoyed the mid-afternoon swimming in my pool. Then the rest of the day I spent seeing some family friends, and playing through a video game. But I didn’t stop there. I decided to watch a National Geographic documentary on television, before finally going to sleep at three in the morning.

It doesn’t seem all that interesting, but it was special for me. Not that I did anything special in particular, but I made the absolute most of my day, doing and experiencing a variety of things. It’s simple, but I just remember being so happy at the end looking back on a very productive and enjoyable summer day.

Special times or moments connect us with others, creating a sense of identity. Memories that last forever.

I’m sure there are many, many more special times and moments to reflect on with fondness, and a wide variety of them too. It’s not something always prevalent in life, but they are important, big or small, random, unusual, simple or not. What are some special times, days, or moments for you?

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