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I went to the mountains this weekend. Just a short drive away, but that physical getaway helped me slow down, break my routine, refocus on what's around me. I sat on the deck Sunday morning with the kids, eating muffins and fresh blueberries and strawberries, and I started singing the classic song from 10,000 Maniacs, "These are Days" - Remember it?

"These are days you’ll remember

Never before and never since, I promise

Will the whole world be warm as this

And as you feel it, You’ll know it’s true

That you are blessed and lucky

It’s true that you

Are touched by something

That will grow and bloom in you"

(photo by burcindrummer) 

This One I Will Remember

And I thought - a lot has happened this weekend. Lots of driving around, lots of eating, wandering, laughing, having fun, lots of moments colliding into one another, washing together in a way that makes them hard to look back and pick out. But THIS. This single moment of strawberries and mountain air, of wind in the trees, dappled sun, the wood of the deck beneath me, and my childrens' laughter - this one I will remember. I decided that I want to be more deliberate about this remembering thing. Rather than letting these days wash together until they're hazy, is there a way - some decision, some keyword, some focus point that will let me draw out these experiences in clarity? In short, how can I make days to remember? I think it has something to do with pulling all the straggling strands of thought together and really applying our incredible power for paying attention - for recording detail.{...}

Maybe some of the answer is in my first sentence - breaking routine, refocusing, slowing down.

Looking around.

Paying attention.

Being deliberate.

Breathing in and out.

There will never be this moment again - and rather than mourn, we can celebrate its uniqueness. Savor it like we savor an incredible meal.

Speaking of Incredible Meals...

Think about the last time you went out to a fancy dinner. I mean a really fancy one. Perhaps it was steak, or lobster. Whatever it was, I'm willing to bet you savored it - not only because it was undoubtedly delicious, but maybe because it was expensive, too. ;) Remember those first slow, deliberate bites, eyes closed - feeling the texture in your mouth, tasting the levels of flavor? Perhaps the satisfied sigh as you swallowed. Man, I can't remember the last time I really paid attention to a meal like that, but this reminds me to. :) But this isn't all about food, of course.

Time is Our Only Coin to Spend

With time as our only coin to truly spend (says Carl Sandburg), what could be more important than being deliberate about how we spend it? How can we - within our own scope and the constraints laid on us by responsibility - make days to remember? Make them not only memorable and worth remembering, but pay attention enough to remember them at all? Watercolor wash in a painting is beautiful, but only because it contrasts with sharp detail.

What is it about your particular life and situation RIGHT NOW that you can savor? Can you feel sunlight on your face if you step outside and tilt your head to the sky? Are there young people in your life you can overhear and record - laughter, words, songs, milestones? Memorize the details of eyes, fingers, the smell of clean hair? Are there four-legged companions whose constant warmth comforts? Is there something about THIS DAY that you can make memorable? It's the only today you have. The only now - the only coin you have to spend. It's true that you are blessed and lucky.

Your turn. How do you make days to remember? How do you make sure you remember them? And just so you can hear the beautiful song that triggered this, here it is:

And the full lyrics:

These are the days

These are days you’ll remember

Never before and never since, I promise

Will the whole world be warm as this

And as you feel it,

You’ll know it’s true

That you are blessed and lucky

It’s true that you

Are touched by something

That will grow and bloom in you

These are days that you’ll remember

When May is rushing over you

With desire to be part of the miracles

You see in every hour

You’ll know it’s true

That you are blessed and lucky

It’s true that you are touched

By something that will grow and bloom in you

These are days

These are the days you might fill

With laughter until you break

These days you might feel

A shaft of light

Make its way across your face

And when you do

Then you’ll know how it was meant to be

See the signs and know their meaning

It's true

Then you’ll know how it was meant to be

Hear the signs and know they’re speaking

To you, to you

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Comments (6)

Liv: ... http://livestories.wordpress.com

every few hours, every single day, i find myself sitting back and watching my husband and sons, who remain absorbed in whatever they're doing (happily oblivious of me, and of me watching them). they could be doing the most inconsequential thing but each time, without fail, i find myself caught up in the rapture of that moment, that ordinary minute made extraordinary simply because it happens to be one focused on those i love most. i'm pretty certain that losing my mom early in life has something to do with my tendency to stop and appreciate the here and now with so much gusto, knowing that time is not only that coin that is truly ours to spend (thank you, carl sandburg and jessica sprague, hehe), but also such a precious treasure that it makes absolute sense to spend it as wisely as we can. for me, that means taking a minute out of every hour to be grateful for these living treasures that i am lucky and blessed to be able to call mine. and then hugging them for all they're worth. and then saying a prayer of thanks for them. (and maybe, if it's a weekend and there's time left over, i'll grab my camera and take a photo and make a page to preserve the memory... )

1

June 16, 2009

Kim Branson: ...

Beautifully written, Jessica and Liv I especially find myself noticing more "special moments" during the warm summer months - probably because its such a short season here in Alaska

One such moment (which I plan to put in a LO) is when I step outside my front door -- the combination of the scents from my flowers, our apple trees and our lilac bushes washes over me and I stand still and deeply inhale... thanking and praising GOD for His goodness and mercies that are new every morning.

Hey - I think I just found my journaling for the layout

2

June 16, 2009

Laurie Moon: ...

Aaaaaaaaaah! The essence of why we scrapbook! Thanks for the beautiful reminder! When all is said and done, when everything is made equal, we all are given exactly the same thing--those precious 24 hours in each day. I have realized lately that much of my life has passed by without my taking the time to savor it. I've been scanning some photos of my kids when they were younger....I'm glad I have the pictures, but many of the memories are gone. And isn't that the real crux? Remembering? Remembering those things we have heard, felt, seen, experienced, and enjoyed? Remembering those we have loved? This is my new goal!....Thank you!

3

June 16, 2009

Meg Stocks: ... http://digimegsworld.blogspot.com/

Ah - one of my favorite songs of all time! The videographer of our wedding did a short montage of the whole day & evening set to this song at the end of our video - it's the best part! Very cool, Jessica!

4

June 16, 2009

Jana Holden: ...

What a timely post! My dd and I spent the whole day together and I tried to savor every moment. We had what we like to call our "mommy/daughter day!" It was a long overdue day. We wanted to have this time together as kind of a kick-off to our summer. We had lunch together at the Rainforest Cafe and shopped at stores we don't have in our local mall. Yes, we drove to a suburb of Chicago today! It was fun to treat her to a new dress and a few other goodies today.We gave each other a million hugs & kisses and thank-yous! We both pulled out the camera and took pictures along the way. I wanted pictures so we can both remember this special day and can be reminded of it whenever we pull them up on our computers. I'm sure some of them will make it to a LO or 2 or 3! We were deliberate, we paid attention, we looked all around and we savored every moment together! Yes, today was a treasure and we are truly blessed & lucky! Thanks for your message today! It's a perfect fit!

5

June 17, 2009

Deb Putnam: ...

Remembering ... see that is the trick for me. I am grateful for those days past that I had the foresight to pull out my camera or video camera when the children were growing up so that I have a visual way to remember these days. Monday night, on a whim, my DD put one of the family videos in the DVD player. I was busy in another room but I heard the laughter and the comments as they "remembered" those fun moments when they were young. My heart sang and I gave thanks that I had the foresight to pull out the video camera and capture those wonderful treasured moments that my mind doesn't remember on it's own. I'm truly blessed!

6

June 17, 2009