Here's one you may not think about right off the bat: your birth. Pretty hard to argue that the best moment in your life was the day your life began, right? Your parents, whether still together, passed on, divorced, or whatever the situation may be, are directly responsible for your creation. You can get mad at them, scream and curse at them or ignore them all you want, but you have to realize that without them, you would not exist. Profound, yet true. Denial of that fact is futile. I'm not telling you that you have to absolutely respect and appreciate each parent, given not all mothers and fathers are 'model parents', so to speak, but rather to better understand your roots. You are here on this earth, it's as simple as that. If you need further convincing, be glad you didn't end up a mosquito. Your life would last a maximum of a few months, everybody and every other living thing on earth would hate you and you'd be dodging spider webs, bug zappers, fly swatters and hands that want to flatten you all day, every day. That's no way to live. Be thankful for what you've got...life.
Not an actual mosquito...I am not responsible if you swat at your screen right now.
I'm sure there are guys out there (and even some women...maybe) that think the day they lost their virginity is the greatest day of their lives. Although the feeling is spectacular, you people are not exactly dreaming big on this one. Without getting graphic, sex is something that will take place for most people on a consistent enough basis that it's not exactly life-altering every time it happens. Guys, it may feel that way at the time...it's not. Oh wait...my mother is probably reading this. Of course a good Christian boy like me would wait until marriage to...oh who am I kidding? Sorry Mom, I'll stop now.
...that's not even funny.
Marriage! One of those things I have not yet experienced is next on the docket. I feel like I have experienced love, which is entirely too broad of a feeling to consider a 'moment', but I have yet to cross paths with the one I'm meant to be with. I could go off on a tangent on whether I truly believe there is just one woman out there for me, but it's not about that. It's that moment where you know that's the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. Statistically, there is no promise any marriage will last anymore, but (as a single male with no previous marriages, 'outside looking in' per se) I think there are entirely too many expectations between spouses that make it difficult to maintain that feeling over time. Too many people forget the day they stood in front of the altar, under the chuppah, on the beach or wherever the ceremony took place, that feeling that they felt complete. That person they vowed to be with, "until death do us part," filled a void in their life. I know I want that feeling at some point, and I know I'm not the only one. To pledge your love to someone to the day you die is not to be taken lightly. That's why I can understand the reasoning behind that being someone's greatest moment in their life. You can only hope that it's the greatest in their spouse's life as well, the way it should be.
She looked into his eyes and she saw...actually, I don't know what she saw,
all I know is she was brainwashed. Damn Scientology!
This is where the sex portion should have gone. Too late. That brings us to having children of your own. Again, no experience in this field for me (I promise that's true, Mom...unless you've already given up reading this, and in that case.......
...just kidding! No kids and none on the way, I swear!), so I'm basing this off of observation and opinion, that's all. I've already covered the concept of your own life, but maybe some people believe that being responsible for creating life themselves is even greater. The gift of life is precious, so it's easy to surmise that giving that gift to a child of your own is that much greater. You know the moment your baby is born that there is no other child like him or her (unless you have twins...or triplets...you know what I mean, shut up). Your baby is a symbol of two people brought together in one. How much more incredible can life get? Ask any parent, they'll tell you.
Who wouldn't want "Success Kid" as their baby?
No, my greatest moment is not the result of a marriage, sex or becoming a father. It's not when I graduated high school or attended an amazing university, or when I first pitched in baseball, or even when I scored five goals in a hockey game. These are all major events in my life, whether you find them petty or not. Nothing compares to the gift of life. It's not often you receive that gift twice, though. That concept is entirely up to perspective, of course.
For those who know me well, I don't have to explain. For those who don't, I am not here to divulge my entire life story. Most of you wouldn't want that anyway, I assure you. I'll just fill you in on the necessary details. A genetic illness has run through our family, having a costly toll on the one who contracted it, as well as those around him. The idea of being tested for the gene mutation in question had run through my mind every day since knowing that testing even existed. Over and over, I considered, then reconsidered whether I wanted an answer or not. I needed to know within myself that I was prepared for the best or the worst. It ultimately came down to needing the results, not only for myself, but for everyone else in my life. I decided it was time to find out whether I needed to plan for myself, my current family/friends and for whatever future family/friends were to come, or if I just needed to focus on 'the now' and be able to have inner peace. Three years ago, I went through the multiple required visits and appointments to get my answer, and on August 20th, 2009, I was back for my results. My mom and a few close friends were in the room with me as the doctor told me that the test came back negative. I would not be stricken by this terrible illness, and the cycle ends at me. I can not pass the disease on, and I am eternally thankful for that. That day, I was reborn. That day was host to the greatest moment in my life, and It will never be taken for granted.
The feeling is indescribable, though. Unless you have experienced some form of rebirth yourself, it is impossible to put into words. Since that day, certain things will never be the same. Silly stresses are easier to forget, bad days aren't so bad, good days are even better, and (although cliché) life goes on. It's not only that you are alive, but it's how you live that makes all the difference.
As for my sister, she was also blessed with the same great news shortly after me, so I am certain at least one other person can say the same thing. I hope when you figure out your greatest moment in life, you never forget it. Like I said, you only live once.
Well...sort of...
D.
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