Savoring Life One Firefly at a Time

Hello friends! This week the theme at Velvet Ashes is Savor.

I love the word savor. It evokes a slowing down and presence that counters many of the other voices around me.

So this week I have been trying to savor life and tune into those moments I enjoy. As a girl, I loved to visit my grandparents in Michigan and catch fireflies in the magical time between dinner and bed. My sisters and I giggled as our parents and grandparents enjoyed the cooling of the air. Then we would release them.

Savoring life is like catching a firefly. Enjoy. Release.

This week I savored these moments:

1.  I shared on Facebook that I fixed two broken sprinkler heads. Woot woot! “I just wish I could tell Dad.” I said to Mom. There is no one who would smile larger at the accomplishments of his daughters. I now know how to fix sprinkler head and almost—almost—want another one to break so I can fix it :).

2. Flowers!!! Tis the season to pick and make bouquets. I am savoring the colors of this season. The variety. The beauty.

3. This flower bed. For the last three years I’ve tried different plants and arrangements, but none quite satisfied. Until now.

4. Flavors of a new favorite dish. Ground turkey, onions, and peppers cooked in some kind of fish sauce. Okay, so while I may not be much of a food describer, it is good people. Trust me.

5. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry: A Novel by Rachel Joyce. SO GOOD. Love this book. It is one to savor (also, the parallels with A Man Called Ove: A Novel. I might have, oh say, stalked my mom and bored her with all of my thoughts. She may not have savored that conversation :)).

6. Birds!! We have recently put up a two-sided bird feeder holder. On the left, chickadees, blue jays, and other birds (yup, not only do I speak pathetic foodie language, my bird knowledge is lacking. Never let a lack of knowledge get in the way of savoring!). On the right, humming birds are now dining. And dive bombing the chickadees, blue jays, and other birds. Who knew these little guys were so aggressive. I took this photo and then almost didn’t share because it isn’t very professional. And then I remembered, “Amy, of course it is not very professional, you are not a professional photographer.” Ah, the ways we hold ourselves to ridiculous standards. The bird on the top left? A chickadee. The one in the middle? A decorative fake bird.

7. Blaster boats. Basically a big inner tube connected to a motor and the ability to spray water on fellow boaters. Blaster boats were a niece’s requested birthday activity. Spraying family members? Celebrating birthdays? Savor, savor, savor. And maybe scream a bit when hit with water. I’m just saying that screams may have come out of me. More like shrieks.

8. Paperwork. I cannot believe it, but there is still paperwork to go through! In all fairness to my dad, the small pile I found this week was mine. I had forgotten how much Dad and Mom did when I applied and was accepted to Denver Seminary. Since I lived in China at that time and the government required FAFSA stuff for financial aid, there was much I needed them to do. It is good to savor a taste of kindness from the past.

9. I work with amazing people! Recently I have been forming and training people to help with Velvet Ashes. Sarah, Bayta, Kathryn, Dorette, Spring, Rachel, Abby, Raven, Hannah, Jen, and Jamie—working with you are real fireflies making Velvet Ashes a brighter place . . . and many don’t know. But I do. (As do others in VA leadership!).

10. I have been working like a mad woman this week because I will visit good friends for the next week. Savoring the sense of anticipation.

Where have you savored life this week? Until after vacation, Amy :)