Waiting
in line for a coffee at the donut shop, I was in awe of all the wonderful
combinations of sweetness in the glass case.
The colours, the textures and the shapes were all just so
delightful. How would one pick?!
And
it wasn’t just in the restaurant, but all around there seemed to be so many
possibilities for wonderment: the volatile weather, the bubbly children, the perceptive
artists, and the shifting seasons, how could anyone get bored?!
Some
people like to compare the different times of year and even have their favourites.
But I’m just in awe of the variety. Here
we are at the beginning of winter, and with the snow fallen, there is a
surrounding stillness that returns me to my garden. With the busyness of the
season, I can reach out and invite it in at any moment to be nurtured. And with
the sun so low in the sky, my photographer’s eye delights in the softer lighting.
Wow!
Cozy
sweaters, hearty stews, snowshoeing where I couldn’t hike: there is just so
much to appreciate in this and every season and every moment.
I’ve
found happiness comes from savouring what is, right here, right now. I could wish it was still summer with its
care-free days and warm, short nights, but then I would miss out on the
toboggan rides and the warmth and awe of the roaring fireplace.
One
of the opposites of savouring is comparing. If I compare my body, house, clothes or
whatever to others, I’m limiting my experience to my critical mind. But when
I’m savouring life and all it has to offer, my whole body is open and
humming. This is nirvana, this is bliss
– being present and fully alive in the moment.
Another
opposite of savouring is expecting. When
I’m expecting people to act or look a certain way, I set myself up for limited
experiences and probable disappointment. It is only by savouring what is that
intimacy is possible. And those moments, I find, are what make life so
precious.
Savouring,
I am noticing as I write this, is about connecting and having a deep
relationship, be it with a good friend, a guitar or an ice cream cone. It’s something visceral that I can actually
feel in my body. Mm, mm, good!
Comparing
is more of an analytical process that happens in the cognitive mind and can
easily be manipulated. For instance, whether you consider someone pretty or not
depends on what you’ve learned from the culture you were raised in. But if you savour your relationship with that
person, their beauty will shine whether they are wearing a tuque, sombrero or
hijab.
This
time of year, infused with the spirit of giving and with our dear ones close
by, it feels only natural to stop and let every cell in our body rejoice in its
aliveness.
What
a sweet, abundant life we all have.
How
could we not savour it?!
