~Savour~

 Another Five Minute Friday entry. Set the timer for  minutes and freewrite from a single word prompt. You are welcome to join in :) 

My definition of savour: To enjoy in a calm, non pressured environment. 

 Savoring the experience, living in the moment, is what I've been practicing a lot lately. Because.... we are moving! 

We've lived in this house for almost 30 years. In that time, I've had toddlers, preschoolers, young children, tweens, teens, and young adults living in this house! Our family has pretty well grown up here. And that's a lot of memories! And I have a lot of emotions to go along with all those memories.  

How am I savoring this time as I go through all of our belongings, deciding  which to keep, which to give away, and which to sell? 

I am pondering these two questions: 

1. What am I going to miss when we move away from this house? 

2. What am I NOT going to miss when we move away from this house? 

Hopefully within 3 months, we will have listed and sold this house and moved into our new abode. Still in the same city, for those of you wondering! 

One of the special moments I'm savoring these days is the view from our dining table. It sits in the corner of our kitchen with big windows on two sides,  meeting at the corner.  While sitting there, I can enjoy the bird feeder, only feet away,  hanging off the edge of our deck roof. Watching and identifying the birds with my grandson has been such a special activity lately (He's almost 4!).  He loves birds and is soaking up the names and characteristics of them.  Pine siskins, yellow finches, and chickadees have all enjoyed our hulled sunflower seeds at the feeder.  Just beyond the feeder is a huge pine tree that towers over our house. It's close enough so that we can see the birds jumping from branch to branch, flying in, and zipping out, seemingly playing hide and go seek with each other. That tree was about 7 feet tall when we moved here! Beyond the backyard are meadows, hills (some are hills of sand where trees have been removed over the years), and mountains. So many people have mentioned what a beautiful view we have from our deck. It does have its own beauty, for sure, especially in midsummer and midwinter. I have never tired of that view, and will miss it. Good thing I've taken about 1000 photos of it ;) 

You know the saying "You don't know what you've got till it's gone?" In this case, I know what I've got. 

Putting It in Writing

I was twelve years old when my youngest sibling was born. I was third oldest, in a family of seven children. My mom was very busy with running a household. I was so thrilled to have another little brother so I basically "adopted" him as my own. I loved that little guy and spent hours and hours carrying him around and  feeding him his bottles. As he grew, I played games with him, taught him  him and my second youngest brother songs while I played guitar, spent time with him outdoors, and even taught him dance steps to Abba songs (our favorite memory)! This created a special bond which we still have to this day.

When he was about eight years old, I moved out of our family home for good. When he was ten, I moved a good day and some's travel away from home to take on my very first teaching position as a Grade 3 teacher in a small remote village on Vancouver Island. It seemed like a million miles away.

Recently I came across a letter I received during that time.  On one side was my dad's handwriting, a  letter telling me how proud he was of me. He had suggested my little brother write me on the back of the page. What a memory! I valued those letters so much.  I have stored this wrinkled, repeatedly folded and unfolded page in its original envelope in  my bedside table drawer for many years--I don't want to risk misplacing it. It is a connection to that special time in my life when I was beginning to venture out into the world as a young adult.

For my brother's birthday this year, I sent him a card with a copy of his letter included in it. We had a great time reminiscing about it.

The art of handwritten communication is worth reviving. Somehow an email doesn't bring the same sense of joy and appreciation as a handwritten card or letter, does it? I hope to do better and send more personal notes and less emails to thank or celebrate those I appreciate.

Do you value handwritten cards and letters?

Prayer for Lent

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen 

from The Divine Hours by Phyllis Tickle