The other day, Mom took some Kong peanut butter (a gross concoction made strictly for dogs to put in their Kong toys) and spread it on a dog biscuit for our dog Meka. This was an extra special treat for Meka, but when my mom placed it in her mouth, Meka quickly scarfed it down and looked up for more. My mom remarked, “Geez Meka, savor it!”
I thought it was funny because I had just read a blog on positivelypostive.com about the importance of savoring (you can read it here Why More Money Probably Won’t Make you Happier, And what Will ) To sum it up, it pretty much said that it is proven that wealthier people aren’t necessarily happier people because they lose the ability to savor things in life. Going out to a fancy dinner and getting all dolled up isn’t very special if you do it every week. Getting that new dress you’ve wanted isn’t very awesome when you have all the money in the world to buy it, and when you’ve spent $300 dollars on it.
After my mom and I laughed about Meka’s wealthy-person-behavior, we went out to eat. Mom had a particularly delicious dish that was garnished with a tantalizing glaze. Dad tried a bite and said “mmmmmm that is SO flavorful! SAVOR that!” not even knowing about our interaction prior. So we all took bites and let the flavor sink into our taste buds remarking how delicious the leftovers were going to be the next day.
What I realized the other day was that I was lucky to be brought up in a house who savors the little things. My mom gets all giddy when us 3 kids are all home, settled on the couch, cocktails in hand, laughing over a funny story. My dad is the type to almost veer off the road because he’s spending too much time taking in the view on a ride to the Cape or New Hampshire, or who will stop to read every sign at a museum, taking it all in. I’m the type who will walk into a tree because I have my head cocked skywards admiring the stars (I do get that from Dad though). The point is, I have been brought up to savor everything, and that has made all the difference in my life, and in my happiness.
All too often everyone is so caught up in just getting to where they need to be, staying inside and watching their favorite TV show, and ignoring the beauty that surrounds them. Too many people see a snow storm as annoying and cold, and as a way to slow down their commute. Yet with a savoring attitude, it doesn’t have to be that way.
Although my parents have had a big impact on my savoring skills, having CF has no doubt taught me to do the same. After being in the hospital for 2 HUGE snow storms, and never getting to see the 3 feet of snow on the ground, snow is something that I savor. I’ll walk extra slowly to admire the way it flutters to the ground, I’ll take a minute to be in awe of its sheer volume after a blizzard. I’ll get all excited to feel the way my skis glide through the powder after a snowy day. Where snow is something that just slows down and inconveniences the every day life of New Englanders, for me, it’s something special.
Although the article notes that more money won’t make you happy, I think its possible to savor those things that you manage to save up your money for and buy (or that your mom rewards you with money to buy!). I bought the cutest white blazer last week and couldn’t wait to try it on and wear it out. I noted how good it felt to look good, and wouldn’t shut up about how much I loved that stupid blazer. Although material things won’t buy you happiness, being able to appreciate some of those things and savor them for what they mean to you is still important. We live in a materialistic society, (and though I won’t lie and say I don’t like shopping) but the way we live is to always want more and more and more. Yet, if we take a moment to appreciate what we do have, then we won’t need more.
So savor the flavor of that cup of coffee you have every morning, appreciate the laughs you share with friends, savor the sunshine, the rain, and the snow. Savor a productive day at work, hours spent in the library studying, a good grade on a test. Savor a good hair day, a new pair of shoes you got at a BOGO sale, savor getting to dress up for the night. Savor the tears you get after watching a good chick flick, the stars at night, the good music or solitary time to reflect on your day you get while sitting in traffic. Every day at school I have to walk in the cold to my classes. Sometimes, the wind is blowing so hard that I’m shivering by the time I get to class. Yet, I have the good fortune of attending a beautiful school and every day I walk by a cute little pond with 2 beautiful swans floating around. I crane my neck to watch them swim each day, always interested in what they’re up to (whether its chasing off ducks, sticking their heads under water, or tip toeing on the ice) Sometimes there are things that seem so routine or so mundane that it seems impossible to find anything to savor about it, but if you make savoring a habit, you’ll see more than you may have realized is there.
