With tears streaming down my face, my Father and Step-Mother just pulled out of my driveway. I am sad. I do not want them to leave. It was a great weekend.

A weekend full of celebration and moments of pure joy. A family weekend, where we came together for a happy occasion. A moment in time marked by the smiles on our faces and the pain in our feet from dancing so much.

It was a great weekend.

Last week at this time, I was looking forward to the weekend coming up. A family reunion of sorts. I had last minute details to organize, and the weather was putting a little hiccup in the plans we had. I was worried. I was trying not to be stressed. But I was. A little.

It was a great weekend.

Cancelations due to the weather and health reasons came in. Seating charts had to be reconfigured, people shuffled, tables decreased. I wasn’t sure how it was all going to play out. I didn’t know what Mother Nature had in store for us.

It was a great weekend.

When the weekend finally arrived, with the heavy rain and winds, Jon and I told our children, “The weekend is going to go by quickly. Make the most of each moment. Be present. Enjoy seeing people you don’t get to see very often. Laugh and have fun. Because on Sunday night, the weekend will be over. You want to look back on this weekend with incredible memories.” We wanted to make sure our kids understood the value of getting to be with their family and friends, people from near and far, in this moment.

It was a great weekend.

We all made the most of the special time we had with our family and friends. Our power went out Saturday morning and didn’t come back on until five PM that evening. But it didn’t matter. We cared less about our hair, and more about the people we were with. We didn’t let the little things that could have gotten in the way of our fun interfere with the joy we were feeling. And while we missed the people who weren’t able to be there, we focused on those who were.

You can’t let the little things in life steal your happy moments. You have to enjoy the good times when you have them. You have to recognize these moments, when you’re in them, and not let them pass by without taking the time to offer up gratitude for having them. Don’t take them for granted. Celebrate the good moments. Embrace them. Enjoy them with every ounce of your being. Even when Mother Nature throws you a curve ball.

Life is about the people in our lives, and the relationships we have with the people we love. Period. It really is that simple.

I hope you had your own great weekend.

Find meaning each day,

Dara