Thursday, November 13, 2008

Precious

What do you hold precious? Is it the laughter from your 4 year old? Is it the warmth of your partner under the sheets? Is it the smiling bark or the purr or the flutter of wings when you walk through the door? I certainly hope it is not your boat. Or your sizable bank account. Or your professional title. Or your Manolo Blahniks. Please tell me it isn't your over-sized, flat screen TV. Because if it is, you've missed the point. Of life.

In a world economy tilting on its axis, in times of illness and uncertainty, shiny, distracting things lose their luster. What we may have defined as precious a few months ago is gathering a film of tarnish. Things are revealing themselves for what they are... just things. The category labeled "precious" by our minds shrinks. The category of the same name found in our hearts expands.

Right now, in the only "now" there is or ever was, my list of what I hold precious is simple, but not short. Mostly, it includes aspects of the living and breathing. Like the sound of his voice. Like the tears of my Mom over the phone. Like the sweet and supportive gestures of my friends Lynn and Don and Sue and Janet. Like the happy sack of cat slung over my shoulder while typing. Like chocolate, like tea, like hot mushroom soup.
What is precious? The little details of relationships. Snippets of time where love is given and received. Full mind-body immersion in activities that speak to our soul. Every aspect of nature. Fresh water. Clean air. Forgiveness. And faith.

6 comments:

  1. You create beauty and reveal truth with words, the same way you work with natural objects to create visual art. Thank you for sharing these gifts with us.

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  2. Graciel, this is a lovely and inspiring post, as always. Your way of taming and choosing words is breathtaking. :)

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  3. uuuuuuuummmmm.....Let's see....I don't have a boat....I don't have a sizable bank account ( actually, it pretty much stagnates in one size - think children's department)....my professional title is something I pretty much gave myself and change from time to time...and...eeerrrr..this is embarrassing, but I don't know who Manolo Blahnik is....

    I did get to sit in this cool sofa and sip the heavenliest coffee here:

    http://gallery.clickthecity.com/displayimage.php?album=851&pos=11

    You're right..sooo right. Sometimes I think of the things I don't have like, you know, Blahniks and stuff...and then that kind of thinking swirls into panic. Then i breath in and think of what I do have...like a poodle and cuddling underneath the blanket with this someone who loves me...and then I realize how so much...just so much I have.

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  4. Oooops..broken tag, sorry. Here it is:

    http://gallery.clickthecity.com/
    displayimage.php?album=851&pos=11

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  5. What a beautiful text.I could not agree more with all you say!
    On top of that you are the winner of Marrakesh and thanks to her also because I happen to visit your blog full of inspiration.
    I'm reading the Power of now at the moment, quite interesting also.

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  6. You know, I love beautiful things just like the next person. I own some very pretty "stuff" but I enjoy them without a possesive heart. My treasures are my children and my pets. Nothing that I own would destroy me if I lost it or had it stolen. Nothing that I own, I would save in a fire. I would be running out of the house with my kids, my two parrots and my cantankerous cats.

    You are a lovely person who I see is going through a very hard time. I know you feel you are sinking but the tide will turn.

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I always appreciate the time you take to comment on my blog. Thank you for stopping by. Peace from my heart to yours. xo, Graciel