By Alex Blackwell
“Life is available only in the present moment.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

I want to soak up every single second.

Last night’s middle school choir and band concert gave me the opportunity. Hundreds of parents gathered in the school’s cafeteria to hear their children. My youngest daughter, Emily, sings in the seventh grade choir.

I arrived a few minutes before the performance started. The cafeteria’s tables were stacked in the corners. Folding chairs filled the space the tables once occupied. In those chairs sat the hundreds of parents – but not one chair sat empty. I know better to arrive late.

I took a program and scanned it. Emily’s choir was the second-from-last group. With no place to sit, and at least 45 minutes to wait, I decided to wander the halls. It’s fun to scour the... More...