UNEDITED
Not all storms come to disrupt your life, some come to clear your path.
Those are the words that Justin McCallister has been repeating in his mind since the day he was diagnosed with a non-cancerous brain tumour that's been causing partial...
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Adelaide
The littlest moments of your life, no matter how ridiculous or insignificant they seem, are just as important as the biggest moments. These moments are the ones that matter most to me because they are the ones that lead to the biggest ones. They work their incredible magic and make it happen. The little moments make your life brighter – they are the ones that even during the darkest of times can make you feel significantly better.
Never underestimate a small moment and the power it holds.
If it matters to you, then it's worth holding on to.
Be it the lyrics of a song that made you smile, the amount of times you fell before learning how to dirt bike, or a warm September evening you spend watching your parents play a heated game of crib with your younger twin brothers – they mean something.
Which is exactly what I'm doing tonight.
"Mom has got this game in the bag," Jake says, shooting Alex a cocky grin that I've seen more than enough on my dad's face – and my own.
Alex rolls his eyes. "Please, you uncultured swine. Dad is going to win. He always does."
I snort. "Dad never wins against Mom. Sure, he can annihilate the three of us, but he always loses to Mom. It's a scientific fact."
Dad squints at me. "Ye of little faith."
"What?" I shrug. "I'm just telling it like it is."
The three of us turn back to the game of crib that's being played on a Toronto Maple Leafs board, anxiously waiting for the winning hand to be revealed. The wood is old and worn, chipping at the edges. Some people would call it useless and say we need a new crib board for the house, but I would argue against that. I know the story behind the crib board that sits on the table and what importance it holds to my parents.
I lean forward on my elbows, ready to see Mom's hand.
"Sixteen," Mom grins, throwing her game winning hand down. I shoot my brothers an I told you so look and lean over to high-five Mom. Our hands collide with a loud slap.
Alex curses under his breath.
Jake laughs and gives Mom a half-hug.
Dad rolls his eyes and tosses his null hand to the tabletop. "Why do I always end up having the crib at times like these?" he asks, leaning back in his chair. "Swear to God, Mir, you made a deal with the devil at some point."
"Oh, totally," Mom replies sarcastically, reaching over the table and flicking Dad's nose. "You know me so well, Brett."
Dad snags Mom's wrist and jerks her forward until her lips are on his.
"Yuck," Jake says.
"Get a room," Alex moans, covering his eyes.
My heart melts a little as I watch my parents flirt with each other. I know a normal human being would be disgusted, like my cousin, Sophia Clarke, but I find it adorable when my parents express their love for each other. They got married for a reason, right? Let them flaunt it all they want.
