12.12.12

Ever since I was a little girl, I remember being enthralled by patterns. I used to play a game with my little brother where, any time the hour and minute would match, say 3:03, we would say, "Ahh." It was a fun little game. I liked it best because I wanted to mark the occasion. I wanted to note that I was alive at a certain moment, and I noted it.

I had been looking forward to this day, 12/12/12 for a while. It is the end of the triple digits. There was 01/01/01, and then 02/02/02, and so on and so forth. 12/12/12 marks the finality of these repetitive years in my life time. I don't remember where I was on 03/03/03 or 04/04/04, but I wanted to remember today. There was nothing great about today, I wish it had been more eventful. I woke up, went swimming. Tended the kids and baked some banana bread. Got ready for work, and though I was disappointed that I had to work, I thought it would still be fun to take a picture of the clock, exactly at 12:12:12. It was a countdown, like New Year's, but on my own.

The picture never happened. The clock did strike 12:12:12 in a second that came and went. I found myself on the phone in a work-related conversation, and by the time I looked, the clock read 12:18:46. I can't deny that a little part of me died. I had missed it.

I write this post to make a memory of this day. Where I was on 12/12/12 at 12:12:12 was not special, neither my conversation. More than likely I'd forget today the way I have forgotten many days past. It is sad to think about life being mostly composed of of forgettable days. All I can do is try a little harder at doing something worth remembering every day. And if my busy life is packed with the monotony of endless survival, then at the very least, I can note it. Take a moment to say, "Ahhh." This moment is special on its own, and I recognize it.