Everybody was a little frazzled, and the boys were BORED!

Their parents said they were just going outside to blow bubbles. It didn’t sound magical or amazing to me.

I thought it was just a quick trick to distract them… something to keep them busy for a few minutes while we caught our breath in the middle of a long travel day.

So I stayed inside. Didn’t follow.

But, when I saw the photos… my heart MELTED!

One little boy. One giant bubble. One perfect, wonder-filled moment! Then, followed by another frame… 

Two boys now, caught in laughter and light, running through a brilliant sky of soap and sunlight!

My heart sank because I’d missed it! Not just that moment… but the deeper truth behind it.

Life’s magic doesn’t often announce itself.

Sometimes it comes quietly,  wrapped in the ordinary, disguised as a distraction, tucked inside a moment that we assume can wait.

When I was a young mom (just a teenager) trying to do it all on a shoestring budget, I missed a lot of those moments. 

• Working full-time. 
• Finishing college. 
• Grocery shopping. 
• Cooking meals. 
• Managing a house on my own. 

Trying to build a life and maybe, hopefully, find love along the way.

I was trying to be responsible. And I was.

But I was also so busy trying to DO everything… that I didn’t always get to SEE everything.

There was surely magic in my son Austin’s eyes that I didn’t pause long enough to catch. 

Admitting that brings a lump to my throat and tears to my eyes. Because he’s so precious. So full of light. 

(I wish I’d had the margin back then to soak in more of that light.)

But GRACE… grace gives us another chance.

So what now? 

I’m doing my best NOT to miss the magic in his children. To notice the beauty that doesn’t always shout to be seen.

To be present for the kind of wonder that can slip right past you… if you’re not looking. The photos reminded me:

It wasn’t just one boy. It was two. Two brothers. Two bubbles. Double the moment, double the JOY! 

(And I missed it.)

So I’m turning my failure into a reminder to say this: Don’t wait for fireworks to look for the wonder. 

Sometimes the magic is happening right outside your window… wrapped in sunlight, bubbles, and giggles!

Be present in the moment. Look up. Look closer.

Don’t miss the magic!

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What’s one moment you didn’t see… until it had already passed? Tell me about it in the “comments.”

If this kind of honest reflection speaks to you and you’re ready to grow personally, professionally, and relationally… that’s why I created The Circle of Friends. 

It’s my monthly mentorship group where we have real conversations, like this one, and share wisdom with some of the most sought-after thought leaders in the nation.

Learn more and join us at https://nicolecrank.com/circle

Blessings!

Nicole