As is the case with so many of our fellow writers, real life caught up and delivered a handful of blows--mostly computer related. Feel my pain--no internet OR word processing for a week! (clutches at heart melodramatically)
Anyway (she says, firmly escorting the drama queen out the door), the lyrics and title quoted here are from two songs from one of my favorite musicals, Into the Woods (Sondheim). The songs are "Any Moment" and "Moments in the Woods." As I watched the episode, with all its emphasis on moments, I just kept hearing these lyrics.
BTW, I recommend the musical highly if you like Bernadette Peters, Stephen Sondheim, or fairy tales.
Foolishness can happen in the woods.
Once again, please--
Let your hesitations be hushed.
Any moment, big or small,
Is a moment, after all.
Seize the moment, skies may fall
Any moment.
He knew it probably wasn't the wisest decision he had ever made. Not as catastrophic as fooling with evidence, but certainly not good on a personal level. Under his scientific shell, he knew he needed human contact. And he had missed her so. Not just the sex, though that had always been good. But the touch of a hand, a soft voice near his ear. The willing give and take between friends and lovers.
Which is why when Angela announced that she and Roxie had broken up, then given him that look, he had gone along willingly. Carpe diem and all that.
Days are made of moments,
All are worth exploring.
Many kinds of moments--
None is worth ignoring.
All we have are moments,
Memories for storing.
One would be so boring…
Under the heat of the moment, he knew this wasn't--shouldn't be--a prologue back into the way they had been. It wasn't right; he couldn't ignore the past six months, two weeks, and three days (not that he was counting!). They had happened, just as surely this moment was happening.
A stray thought occurred to him as they lay back on the old Cleopatra bed, sated. He seems to have gotten past the unreasoning anger and hatred that had held him in such a tight grip a few months ago. He might be losing control of everything else around him, but at least he doesn't hate everyone anymore.
Right and wrong don't matter in the woods, Best to take the moment present
Only feelings.
Let us meet the moment unblushed.
Life is often so unpleasant--
As a present for the moment.
"So this, right now, this isn't together?"
"It was a moment, a great moment. But all great moments pass."
This was just a moment in the woods.
Our moment,
Shimmering and lovely and sad.
Leave the moment, just be glad
For the moment that we had.
Every moment is of moment
When you're in the woods...
As she pulled her dress on and dashed back to work, he saw her earring, half-hidden in the sheets. He picked it up and opened his mouth, intending to call her back.
But she was already gone. On to her next moment--work, or lunch, or art, or who knew anymore.
He weighed it in his palm thoughtfully. Yes, this moment had passed. But there was no harm in keeping a souvenir of happier times, was there? Of course, if she asked him for the earring back, he would give it to her. But he hoped she wouldn't think to ask him.
Just a moment,
One peculiar passing moment...
Oh, if life were made of moments,
Even now and then a bad one!
But if life were only moments,
Then you'd never know you had one.
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And to get what you wish,
Only just for a moment--
These are dangerous woods...
Angela slowly sifted through photos. Each one reminded her of some precious, passing moment. Kirk. Jack. Grayson. Roxie. Each…liaison…relationship…connection…had elements of impetuosity--the living in the moment Roxie had accused her of. And they had all wanted part of her future.
"The future," she said softly as she put them away. Even when engaged to Jack, she had never thought very far ahead. She had rushed their wedding ceremony, not wanting to wait even a month, much less until spring. Having children was a forward-looking thought, but she hadn't actually given it serious consideration: how many, how to care for them, the changes pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood inevitably brought. She had looked at an adorable child and simply decided on the spot she wanted some of her own.
A wistful smile touched her lips. How had she, the original good-time girl, the poster child for living in the moment, gotten involved with such dreamers and planners? They say opposites attract. Guess so.
Let the moment go
Don't forget it for a moment, though…
Now I understand--
And it's time to leave the woods.