What is a defining moment? To me, a defining moment is an earthquake of the soul. Those that know me would say, "Oh, that's the geologist in her, she always needs to compare it to something happening in the earth!" But it is - think about it. Thanks to instant media and around the clock Discovery channel, History channel, Planet Earth, etc., we all know more about earthquakes than we have in years past. An earthquake is a release of energy, the earth shifts and moves to release stress and strain. And in that moment, the earth is freed from its constraints and shifts just a bit. If the earthquake is big enough, the earth can spin a little faster, the poles move slightly, and its obliquity can be altered.
When we have a defining moment, something happens to shift our focus. A tremor in our soul moves us and suddenly that which seemed overwhelming and impossible just moments before is suddenly clear and possible. That should not be confused with easy or pain-free, just doable. Many of these moments are filled with anguish and heartache, yet looking back on them allows us to see and appreciate all that has defined us in the past and what we have to look forward to in the future.
I have been privileged to have experienced many such defining moments and my hope is to record them here - for myself, for my family, and for my friends - those in my life now and those I have yet to meet.
