Do you ever have a moment in life when everything just feels so perfect and content that you wish, with your entire being, that you could do anything to keep that moment going forever, or at least for a longer than they last? Those kinds are my favorite. Few things warm my soul more, than those moments of complete and absolute happiness. Everything feels right with the world, even if it’s not. Your problems and worries go out the window. You are totally focused and in tune with what’s going on right there that nothing else matters. Life is perfect with all the imperfections.

I suppose it’s unrealistic to crave these moments. And having them occasionally is reason why they are so special. The Monday after Gorge I was lucky enough to keep two of my dearest friends around for a whole extra day why everyone else boarded their planes for home. I AM SPOILED. I took them to one of my favorite spots that I’ve found so far; Rattlesnake Ledge. The three of us hiked the mountain and took in the over look. Each time I do it, I’m caught off guard with the complete and utter beauty around me. I still haven’t quite gotten to grasp that this is home. When I look up at the blue/green waters and the miles of trees that surround me, I just feel so at peace. It’s amazing.

The hike itself isn’t a hard one; only 3 miles. Depending on the time of the day, the trail is generally dotted with people of all ages. Dad’s carrying babies, Mom’s with little ones racing around, older couples hiking hand in hand, and young people- gossiping their way through the trees. One can see it’s a popular spot for the people of North Bend and the surrounding area. Once you get to the top, you understand why it’s a sight worth seeing; truly and utterly breathtaking. Each time, again and again, my breath is taken away and I feel so small.

How did I get this lucky? I’m here, in the midst of, in my humble opinion, one of the most beautiful locations in America with two of the people who mean the most to me. What have I done to deserve such an amazing moment? It’s a moment I want to hang on to for forever. We climbed over the ledge and found a hole in the side of the cliff. In there, you were totally escaped from everything else in the world. My phone doesn’t work up there so there’s nothing from the outside world to bother. And, in our new hole, you can’t even hear the sounds of the other people on the top. It’s just you in that moment- the only ones around. I realize I could sit there forever.; completely absorbing and giving into the moment, the feeling and finally letting go.

You don’t have to be someplace magnificent or extraordinary to feel these strong “let’s savor it” moments. The best moments in our life, I believe, are the small and seemingly insignificant ones to others. The moments shared privately, between just you and your best friends. The moments that make you seriously forget anything or anyone else in the world even matters. For that slight glimpse of time, that moment is the only thing that’s real. I find myself desperately clinging to those times and trying to relive them but it’s never the same. I suppose that’s what makes life so bittersweet and beautiful; it’s never the same way twice. Each day, each moment, so rare and true in it’s own lovely way. We can do everything that we want to try to keep these moments, but even the loveliest of moments eventually have to go and we’re left with nothing but the memories of what they were.