SAVOURING

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?!