With November in full swing, it’s customary to say what we’re thankful for. Pinterest is buzzing with different activities and ways to demonstrate our gratitude. Facebook has begun exploding with daily posts detailing what each person is thankful for. This is why I love the holidays so much. It’s wonderful to see positive posts on social media and people using their creative minds to make the world feel a little brighter this time of year.
Part of being grateful is reflecting on the events from not only this past year, but each year before that. So, as I sit here reflecting on the past, one memory continues to pop up in many different forms. Movie nights… I am thankful for movie nights. It’s not necessarily the movie nights themselves, but rather the memories surrounding them.
My husband and I began going to movies together before we even started dated. We were at the movie theater on a weekly basis before we had our daughter. Somehow movies sort of became our thing, stopping at different theaters on each trip we took. I remember my husband patiently waiting in line with me at a movie theater near Chicago, as I excitedly awaited my turn to meet an actress from Twilight. My husband was so intrigued by my childlike excitement. Our love for the series had us not only attending the midnight showings, but arriving early enough to watch each movie from the beginning. OK, so maybe it was more my love, but my husband kindly obliged, being sure to make a few jokes every now and then. One of my most cherished memories is recreating one of the scenes from Twilight at our own wedding. It felt as though we were the only two people left in the world, as we danced underneath the lights of the gazebo.
When we had our daughter, we couldn’t wait to share our love of movies. Recently we tested the waters by renting Big Hero 6. I am not sure what she loved more, the movie or the popcorn. Either way, it was a success. Shortly after that, we attempted our first movie in the theater. Since then, I have taken her to see at least a handful of movies. As long as the popcorn is present, she is a happy camper! I will never forget her first trip to the theater, watching her little face light up with excitement as the movie began, or how she cries each time the movie is over and we have to leave the theater.
So, as I sit here, watching the leaves fall from the trees, I am thankful… I am thankful for more than just movie nights. I am thankful for all the memories they encompass. I am thankful for the string of events that brought my husband and I together. I am thankful we are continuing this tradition with our daughter.
Sometimes the most precious memories in life are those small, repetitive moments.
