The defining moment

What are the defining moments of our lives?

Is it when you submit your PhD, holding it in your hands, giving it away to some administrative officer, and getting congratulations in return, and a receipt?

Is it when you sign for your first job, going up to a funny looking HR department, 'signing your life away' and finally feeling like a normal adult?

Is it when you present a good paper at a conference and feel the respect of your peers?

Is it when you teach and you make your students understand something, something they wouldn't have understood otherwise and you look at their eyes and see crystal and sincere interest?

Or perhaps it's not it, not it at all. Perhaps defining moments are of a different sort alltogether.

Is it when you meet friends you haven't seen in a while and just sit there and be comfortable and be reminded how wonderful people can be?

Is it when you go to concert and feel elated by the music, you feel like waves crashing in your heart, filling it with happiness and emotion?

Is it when you hear of an amazing song, and just sit there and marvel in the beauty of the simplicity of pop ("they say we love the ones we trust, but what is love without lust?" -la roux)?

Or is it when you look into someone's eyes and know you love them and they love you back? Is it this moment that you feel that the heart is the only organ in your body working? Is it when you feel this absolute acceptance, serenity and excitement, all at the same time?

Perhaps the questions is wrong alltogether, perhaps there are no defining moments, or at least not just one anyway. Perhaps a bit a of everything defines us, each in a different way.