Winter – Season of Savoring

Winter is the season to pause and savor. To savor is to give ourselves over to the enjoyment and experience of something- a food, a sunset, a person, a moment of joy or grief. The cool, short days entice us into a slower, more withdrawn winter lifestyle. We usually rush from one event or project to the next without a chance to just let the blessings and experiences sink in. What is it to savor what is, without trying to do something with it? It’s a good habit to acquire for life.

A child knows what it is to savor. They fully immerse themselves into a toy, a person, or whatever it is they are experiencing. They feel, taste, smell, touch, see and hear what’s happening around them. Maybe why kids are so fun to be around is we enjoy their aliveness and how they engage in the world.

We, on the other hand, have managed to cram our lives so full we do not take time to savor much of anything. So, I invite you to pause right now, get present to your surroundings, take a deep breath and savor the air going into and out of your body. OK. Now notice what’s around you. Savor your surroundings as if you’d been to the moon for the past year and you just returned to your earthly life. Immerse yourself into something you haven’t really savored in a while.

Now consider who you are and savor you. Your experiences, your body, your wealth (whether it be great or not), your relationships, your wisdom…. Take time to place your attention on who you are in all your uniqueness. Savor and relish your you-ness.

Good! Getting present through savoring has the potential to foster peace, serenity, connections that go deep, love, joy….So, go savor life, and let me know what you discover.