Life Happens! Pay Attention! I was very impressed when a trainer once used this phrase to help us choose writing topics. We can overlook many experiences and sights because we are too busy or do not pay attention.

Many people have a bucket list—including all the things they want to do before they die. I am focusing on a dash list—what I will leave behind for those who come after me; my legacy. The dash is the line between our birth and death dates and contains the sum total of all the experiences and accomplishments in our lives. I introduced the concept of a dash list in May.

One of my friends started her dash list. She and her husband are becoming more aware of all those wonderful life experiences. She told me recently that as they drove to San Francisco, they consciously stopped to have a “dash moment.” They are incorporating that mindfulness into their lives to create more meaning. Life happens; pay attention! Enjoy those dash moments!

The other day we had a much-needed rain storm. Some of my flowers are still blooming after the long, hot summer. When I went outside I noticed how clean and luminous my garden was. All the dust was washed away and the flowers seemed to glow from within. Just looking at them and breathing in the fresh air made me smile and filled me with hope and happiness. My personal dash moment. What would be different for you if you stopped to look at the trees or listen to the birds? Experts say we need that time in nature for our mental health. Are your experiences building and strengthening you as a person?

Another dash moment happened when I sat at dinner with my partner and my daughter the other day. So many times we just plop in front of the TV but sitting together makes space for the possibility of discussion and laughter. I can’t remember what was said but I remember we had a good time and connected with each other. It reminded me of growing up when my parents, brother, sister and I shared some of my favorite memories at the dinner table. We laughed hysterically about some silly comment. Maybe my sister invented a new word such as “frozenated.” Maybe my brother eating with his fingers. Those dash moments are especially precious since the other family members have all passed on.

There is a movement to be more mindful. I made a decision to be more intentional in my life and it is making a difference. This blog will feature some of my dash moments and what I have discovered about life when I pay attention. I hope that you will gain some insights and share your own dash moments to enrich all of us, because life happens. Pay attention and notice those dash moments that fill your life with meaning.

Question: What dash moments will you experience this week? Where can you be more intentional in your life?