Life Changing Moments

One of my favorite podcasters is Megyn Kelly.  She recently replayed an episode where she hosted Mike Eruzione,  Captain of the USA Olympic men’s hockey team in 1980.  (/www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNLz6YaCvPo)  (Note:  My Canadian friends will remind me that it was Sidney Crosby who scored the winning goal in their overtime 2010 Gold Medal game and went on to captain the 2014 Canadian Olympic Team.) 

Near the end of Megyn’s podcast, Mike Eruzione talked about what coach Herb Brooks told the team at the beginning of the final period in their game against Russia as the U.S. was behind 3 -2.  He said something to the effect of what the team does in the last period, the next 20 minutes, they would take to their grave.

Imagine the stress of the pressure of what you choose to do in a 20-minute time span will change your life forever.   It sure makes one look at the decisions they make in life.

I still remember where I was on February 22, 1980 the night we won that game.   Memorable date, but not life changing for me.

We all have certain dates in our minds where we remember the place we were, what we were doing at that time, what we wore, what we were eating, etc.

For the majority of these memories the details aren’t important.  Nice that we remember but they aren’t life changing moments in our lives.

On the contrary there are moments that shape our lives. 

Life changing moments are easy to remember:

·       December 21, 1967 – the night my father died

o   A 13 year old kid instantly had to be a young man

·       November 22, July 7 & July 15 – the dates my kids were born

o   Fatherhood.  Responsibility.  Trying to learn parenting skills

·       April 1, 2010 – My first day at The Dwyer Group, now Neighborly

o   A job that changed the direction of my life for future retirement

·       June 23, 2007 – The day Mary Kay and I got married

o   Changing the complete dynamics of a family

Each of these days are welded into my mind.  I can still vividly picture each of the events.

What about you?

What are the dates that changed your life forever?  Not where you were on a certain day.  Not how you celebrated a sporting team’s world championship.

Life changing stuff.

Maybe it is a job.  Maybe it is someone you met.  A mentor.  A Pastor.  Someone who convinced you to stop drinking.  Perhaps a doctor’s diagnosis.

Life changing moments.  Do you make time to celebrate the great ones?  Reflect on the challenging ones?  Think of how powerful it would be if you shared these anniversaries with those important in your life and what being with them at that time changed the course of your life.