You know how people say “savor every moment” or “make the most of every moment”. I think that is crap. Its too hard and too much pressure. How do I feel when I go to bed at night knowing I didn’t make the most of every moment. It isn’t possible and thus why do you put that guilt on yourself?

I think instead that you should live life with some level of discernment and save your “most of every moment” efforts for the ones that really count. Take today for example, It is test day for Rutherford County students. Today is a day to make the most of. I dropped off two of my kids and we kept it light. Made some jokes and hung out. I wished them luck and told them they would do great. I wanted them light and ready. It was not a time to get onto them about the house being a wreck. The funny thing is that the tests mean different things to them. The younger one was nervous about the tests but he is already in at Central. This test means very little to his future overall. The older one needs to do well on this test as it affects his ability to get into Central for high school. He wasn’t nervous at all. 

How do you practice discerrnment? How do you recognize those moments that matter more? How do you then prepare or act on them? If you miss, how do you cope with the guilt?

I think you have to give yourself grace and simultaneously be prepared to ramp up the effort. I think you have to miss several times in order to know how to hit. And sometimes, (this is likely the basis for the phrase make the most of every moment) you may not know it was a crucial moment until after it is over. 

What’s the point? I don’t know. More just some reflection. Give yourself some grace and be on the lookout for those important moments. Never know when they might present themselves. But, don’t try to make the most of every moment. You will go crazy. Just live.