There are little moments in life that we sometimes forget to stop and appreciate. Some of these moments are once in a lifetime and we miss them because we are too caught up in other things to realize the beautiful moment unraveling right in front of our eyes. But, some of these are ones that happen so often that we forget to take a second to be in the moment with it. We only have this one life, and we only get to experience some of these moments once, and I don't want to live my life regretting not paying attention when it was needed most. I try to find the beauty in life as much as possible. We are constantly surrounded by so much negativity in the world, and caught up in our own busy lives, that we forget about the little things that bring us joy. One of my favorite quotes of all time and one I try to live by as much as I can:

"Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away"

I want to share with you some of the things that take my breath away. Some of the little things we forget to think about sometimes, and some of the little things we don't realize are beautiful moments.

1. When the waves crash onto the shore

Of all the little things I love in the world, this moment by far is my favorite. I love the moment when you hear the waves crash onto the shore. To me, it is one of the most relaxing sounds I've ever heard. When I think about the waves, I think about the journey it took to get to shore. It didn't start as a wave, it started as a ripple, and then became a wave, got as tall as it could, then crashed onto the shore. I compare a wave to life, because like the wave, you take a journey in life. You start small, then get to the highest of highs, and sometimes, you crash. It makes me remember that no matter how low I get, I will always find my way back to the top.

2. The first drop on a roller coaster

For some people, roller coasters are a definite no, but they give me such an adrenaline rush. The anticipation of riding to the top and that moment right at the top where you're the highest it gets and you can see all the city in front of you. It's even more beautiful at night, seeing the city lights and the lights of the other rides. For that moment, I feel on top of the world. Until it drops, and my stomach drops and I throw my hands up and scream as loud as I can. You only get to experience the first drop once because the second drop never compares to the feeling you get on the first.

3. Thunderstorms

I know some people dislike thunderstorms, and gloomy weather, but one of my favorite moments is waking up in the morning and hearing rain hit my window. It's the perfect excuse to snuggle back into the sheets and listen to the rain just a little longer. There is no moment like the one when you hear the thunder crack for the first time, and see the lightening illuminate the sky, so just for that one moment you can see the rainfall in the light. Thunderstorms are the perfect day to cozy into bed with a book and waste the day away listening to the rain hit the roof all day long.

4. Fresh coats of snow

It is true that snow can cause issues such as car accidents and making you wake up early because you have to leave unusually early. But it is also true that it brings snow days, and snowmen in the front lawns, and of course, snowball fights. But, before ANY of this happens, there is those few short moments where the snow is untouched. Fresh coats of snow on the ground is a beautiful sight. The way the snow sparkles against the sun. The snow is in its purest form. It brings me a sense of peace in a way, makes me feel just for that one moment, everything is okay.

5. The first moment when you wake up

One of the moments I think is taken for granted the most is this one. Everyone knows how it feels to go to sleep upset, hurt, or mad. But, when you wake up, there is just that split second moment where you don't remember what happened the day before. That moment, is one we need to live in as long as possible. In that moment, you have no obligations, pain, or problems. You're at peace for that one moment. I believe if you stay in that moment, and acknowledge it, it will make you realize whatever you're struggling with, is going to be okay. It can bring you hope, and optimism that eventually everything will go the right way.

6. Seeing someone smile after you give them a compliment

In our society, magazines and TV shows are constantly talking about how you should look. A lot of people in our world struggle with insecurities about their image because they're so focused on wanting to fit in. The most fatal flaw we have is that we don't want to accept our uniqueness, me included. We are conditioned to hate the qualities we dislike about ourselves, instead of love ourselves for who we are on the inside and out. We are too quick to judge instead of compliment, and that's why I think it is so important that we learn how to tell one another how beautiful they are inside and out. You NEVER know what someone is going through. It's always easy to smile in the wake of hardship. But what people fail to realize is that one single compliment could change everything. My favorite thing to do is to compliment someone, and instantly you can see their real smile. It's almost as if whatever pain they had vanished for that one second. Instead of looking for the bad qualities, we need to focus on finding the amazing ones.

7. When you kiss someone for the first time

No matter how many people you kiss, there will always be the first one. My favorite thing about kissing someone for the first time is that, it is one of the times in life where everything is unexpected, FOR A GOOD REASON. It's the intimate moment you share with someone that will never happen again. It's a moment that some people don't see for it's true meaning. It's the one kiss that starts something, and the first kiss you share with someone, is the one you will remember always. People get upset if it's awkward or didn't go as planned. To me, that just makes for an amazing story that down the road you might laugh about someday; talking about how nervous you felt. It's the kiss where you feel the most, because like I said, it is one of the times in your life where everything is unexpected for all the right reasons.

8. Watching the sun set

This is a typical, cliché moment, but it's a beautiful one. Whether you're driving or sitting on the porch, watching the sunset is always breath taking. To think, everyone experiences a different sun set, somewhere in the world, it makes you realize you're one person out of billions. What's even more beautiful than that, is to see the colors that paint the sky. To see the sky change from pink, to orange, and then to night. It is something that makes me realize that all the troubles of the day are coming to an end, and that a new day is coming soon. It's something so beautiful you can see almost every night, but take it for granted because you can see it almost every night. It is a part of the day I look forward to, because not every sunset is the same, and that's what makes every one so special.

9. When a song gives you goose bumps

Everyone has experienced this moment at least once in their life. You're listening to a song, but this time you're REALLY listening. Not just going along with the melody and singing occasionally. All of the sudden, it hits you, the one moment in the song, and you have goose bumps. I get this feeling when I listen to slow, melodic songs with more emotion in the music than the words. In these slow songs, there is that moment of impact, where the emotion is at its highest, and you can feel the heartbreak or love or whatever they're trying to convey. You can hear them putting their entire soul into the music, and that's the moment that gives me goose bumps. To hear someone in their rawest, most vulnerable form, is an incredible moment that few people stop to listen to.

10. Car rides with your best friends

Summer nights are the perfect nights to hit the back roads with your closest friends. It's perfect because it's the part of the day where it's starting to cool off so you can have the windows down. But what makes the car ride so special is when you have the music blasting to your favorite song, and you're all singing the words, even if it sounds terrible. Those are the moments with them that you can't get back. So many people take the small moments with their friends for granted because they don't realize that someday their going to be grown up, and there won't be summer nights like those anymore. And that's why I think it is so important to be in those moments as much as possible, because they don't last forever. But if you live in those moments while you have them, you will have memories to last you a lifetime.

All of these are moments that bring me joy and happiness, and I hope in reading this you will think of some of your own too. This life goes by too fast to forget about the precious time we have with the things and people around us. Sometimes it's hard to look for the special things when you're caught up in a busy schedule, but I always find its what you feel during something special that you remember forever. And it's especially hard to find the importance when things are going wrong, but I find that when you're going through pain, and hard times, looking for these moments is what can help you through.