by Nick Maziarka

Created on: July 14, 2009   Last Updated: July 30, 2009

Life is Defined by a Dictionary of Moments...

The most shocking and horrific of car crashes often result from one person's momentary lapse in proper action. A magic trick comes off elusive and mystifying due to a single instant, in which the magician plays a trick on his or her audience. Even something as simple as a friendly conversation can be characterized by one second of confusing hesitation. Although thousands of seconds go by unnoticed every day in our lives, several stick out as monumental or even influential. Such moments allow for things to go beautifully right or terribly wrong. In the long run, it is these moments of encounter, opportunity, and surprise that define and shape the core of each and every individual's existence.

From the fateful and spontaneous meeting of two different people, the greatest of friendships can be formed. The tiniest of tiny events, almost daily in occurrence, could lead to something highly rare. A dropped pencil, a hallway collision, or a precautionary "Hey, your shoe is untied," can all be the catalyst for a future partnership involving shared cola after school, fishing trips in Florida, and possible wheelchair races throughout the middle of a government-funded retirement home. When two friends have gone through such things together, surely both of their lives cannot go untouched. New adventures are had and new choices are made by each of them simply because of a moment of chance that had their names on it.

On occasion, chance blends perfectly, though, with the ability one already has. Instead of a seemingly destined moment appearing from the sky, a moment of opportunity takes its place. Throughout a person's life, he or she will exhibit natural or acquired talent concerning one field or another. "Practice" is the best way to describe all of the effort put into a talent before fate takes control and provides opportunity. Once this happens, however, and an opportunity comes along allowing someone to prove his or her talent in a professional or new way, a whole new arena opens up. A small-town pianist with extraordinary skill suddenly gets the chance to perform in a New York concert. That wonderful opportunity thus grants the pianist access to an exciting new world of jobs or performances.

Contrary to predictable opportunity or seemingly uneventful moments, are those influential ones of pure shock. Certain events effectively open the eyes of a person perhaps not just because they are important, but also because they

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