Community Reflections: Savoring the Day

“Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, savor you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow.”
~Mary Jean Irion, from A Normal Day!

Some of you may be aware of (or are regularly visiting) our Practice Space where we offer a Daily Question to enhance grateful awareness. Each day we are moved by and learn from the responses that appear. The reflections are joyful, poignant, subtle, poetic, loving, generous, sophisticated, playful, vulnerable, and, of course, infused with gratefulness.

We offer the following selection of responses to one of our recent Daily Questions. May these reflections serve to open a doorway to gratefully loving the world and finding ways to live accordingly.

How might I savor this day?

“I’ll savor it by noticing and reflecting on what is before me today and every day – the beauty around me, the miracle of living, and a deep contentment for my life circumstances.”
– Laura

“This is a good question and prompts me to take things slowly and enjoy what I am seeing and feeling and not get lost in constant doing!”
– Butterfly

“Taking time to enjoy it and not be “doing” all the time. Maybe read my book during the daytime-something I don’t ordinarily do…in fact, it sounds rather luxurious!”
– Mary Pat

Photo by Alex Bajan/Unsplash

“My friend and I are heading over to another friend’s house for brunch. She just had a double mastectomy and several rounds of chemo. It’s been a very long time since we’ve been together. I can’t wait to be laughing again with all our inside jokes and foolishness. We love her dearly. Today is all about positive energy for life and vitality.”
– Nelson

“To deeply appreciate that I am free to do what I want – and not take that for granted.”
– Jules B.

“What a wonderful question! I should ask myself this every day. Of late my mind has often gone to aches or to unpleasant things, much like picking at a scab. That is definitely NOT the way to savor this day. It isn’t the way to heal a cut, either. It does help to shake up patterns a bit and to see and do new things. When we freshen things up, it sharpens our vision. It also helps to savor the day if I speak kindly with my family, and sometimes playfully. How we are often gets reflected back. I also think I need something for me today, as I have been neglecting my self-care.”
– Holly

“My intention today is to walk nearby to a park with a still frozen lake and listen to the beautiful noises cracking thawing water makes. It’s awesome!”
– Carla

Photo by Michael Aleo/Unsplash

“I savor what I pay attention to. So the how of it is by being a better observer. I am way better than I used to be. I used to project my desired life onto the actual day like an image projected onto a wall…and behaved as if the projection was actual life. Now I tend to do that way less. I have a house guest who is looking for a place here. We have spent a few afternoons driving around to open houses. We are looking at much more expensive places than what I have. It’s been interesting for me as I have reacted the opposite of what I would expect. Instead of envy, I come home and as we enter my place, and as I look out at it in the growing light writing this, I so love the place more. I have seen nowhere I would rather live. In a sense it has allowed me to savor it in the way I think the question implies. I have a place, and a time to live. Here and now. I am enough. I have a role, a job if you will. All of which, not that long ago, I not only didn’t have any deep awareness of, but in fact rejected out-of-hand by preferring my fantasy world in my head. I have said that I have finally found my nest, when, in actuality, I have simply come into myself. From there, grounded in that place, I can really ‘see’. And taking it all in, inclusively, I am open to the ability to savor all of it.”
– Howie G.

“I can savor this day by learning and gaining as much wisdom as I can today.”
– Hot Sauce

“I might savor this day by taking the time to do something for myself. Take a break. Rest a little bit. Do one thing today that serves me. Get a breath of fresh air. Reflect.”
– Liv

“One hot beverage at a time.”
– Malag

Photo by Cassandra Hame/Unsplash

“By giving up the wrong way of thinking and cultivating the right way. Becoming aware of all the beauty, and intelligence behind the forms and in the forms. Being aware of joy in silence that is always there. Seeing all the chances that are in front of me to manifest the ideals that I want to live. Leaving aside constant worrying, complaining. Making a decision to savor this day whatever there is needed to be done and feeling what is given to me by the universe day by day. Having joy in trying to give back.”
– Hermann-Josef

“I pause and focus on the breath, each inhale and exhale, as I look outside at the blue sky and all the green blooming below it. I’m happy to be alive and to start this day. I will savor it by carrying this energy with me as I go to work, looking forward to the interactions I will have throughout the day.”
– sunnypatti

“By being present to all this beautiful day presents. Stay in the NOW….”
– pkr

“Today is a day when there’s nothing pressing or urgent to do, the sky is blue and I am going to takes things slowly after having a frenetic and stressful day yesterday. Right now I am bathing in the peace and contentment whilst going through my daily gratitudes, reflections and musings. I will let the day unfold gently, read, think, cook, and walk.”
– Iamme

We offer our deepest thanks to all of you who shared your experience of tenderness. If you would like to add a rich practice to your life, we invite you to visit our Practice Space and join the welcoming community who connect there each day.