Slow Memories
November 30, 2022
The days between Thanksgiving and Christmas are full of frenzied preparation and anticipation. The balance between work, life and memories can come to a boil, overflowing the senses and limiting our mental and physical capabilities. We make lists on lists, send cards, shop, prepare and plan. All of our previous experiences influence and pressure us to keep up with the traditions. Memories wash over us with bittersweet nostalgia. We miss loved ones who are no longer with us and those that cannot be with us.
I remember the snowy days of childhood. We found the steepest hills for sledding and ice skated on Adventure Farm ponds, so frozen one year that my grandfather pulled me behind his 3 wheel Honda. In the wee hours of the morning, my parents would go out into the dark and cold air, delivering calves thaqt needed a helping hand. My first Santa gift that I remember was a John Deere rideable tractor which I own to this day. When my cousins came in from Kentucky, we talked all day and night as we rotated in and out of the kitchen. The food, oh, the food; Virginia ham, turkey, green beans, spoonbread, homemade rolls with sorghum, decorated Christmas cookies, fruit cake and Gigi’s raisin pie. It was plentiful and our bellies were blessed.
As we take in the memories and prepare to make new ones, it is important to slow down and enjoy each and every moment. Have a glass of wine at the end of a long day by the fireside. Put your phone down and think about all that you are grateful for. Sit in silence. Make something nourishing for yourself. Walk outside in the cold crisp air and gaze at the sky. Watch the birds. Do nothing when you can. This moment will never happen again.
When friends and family are around, embrace the ephemeral quality of it all. Play games, dance and sing. Look into the eyes of those around you. Listen to their words. Soak up each and every word that is said. This is what life is all about. Joy is not about what we do but what we take time to feel and observe. It’s the slow memories that last a lifetime.
