Savoring Life: 6 Practical Ways to Add Joy to Your Life
I’m bent over an industrial meat slicer—not thinking a thing in the world about savoring life—when a phrase comes to mind:
“Why do we often have to lose what we have to appreciate it?”
I’m 21 years old, and I’m far from my home in Pennsylvania. I’m working in a deli in the middle of Alaska, saving money for next year’s college expenses, and hiking every time I get a free hour.
I love Alaska.
The view of endless mountains intrigues me.
I love to watch the fireweed dance beneath the midnight sun and sit by the river that flows grey with glacial silt.
This place meets my expectations and then some. I spend every weekend in the backcountry with a tent and thrive on the sense of possibility that awaits me each morning. I’ve been known to row across Otto Lake in the middle of the night while the sun shines warm upon my skin.
Savoring Life
I’ve been here for five weeks. I spent the first four weeks suppressing an inner ache, convincing myself that the life of a nomad was the life for me. However, as I slice meat in this deli, I finally let myself feel it.
I miss sticky summer nights, looking for whitetails with Dad, walking the block with Mom, and adventures with my friends. I never imagined I’d miss these simple gifts, but isn’t this just how life is sometimes?
We don’t appreciate what we have until we’ve lost it.
At this moment, I come to a surprising realization: I don’t want to be a traveling nomad forever. Family and friends matter deeply to me. I will return home at summer’s end, and I will try to find a teaching job near my hometown.
Savoring Life by Appreciating What You Have
Two decades later, I remember the midnight sun and the deli. I remember it all as I watch our kids splash in the creek behind the house. I’ve been counting days lately—longing for time to go faster so that we might get on with the next thing.
I’ve forgotten all about savoring these moments. However, as the phrase I pondered in Alaska echoes in the recesses of my mind, I remind myself that I don’t want to be the kind of woman who doesn’t know what she has until it’s gone.
Why does it take the startling reality of loss to shake us into a deep appreciation for what we have?
Why does it take the startling reality of loss to shake us into a deep appreciation for what we have? #Gratitude #SavortheMoment #SlowDown Click To TweetVowing to savor life more often, I let the kids splash along the creek until the sun fades behind the hills. I notice the way the older one digs in the sand and the little one wades into the deep with an expression of unrivaled expectation. I don’t take a single minute for granted.
Practical Ways to Enjoy Your Life by Being Fully Present
Let’s look at six practical ways to savor our lives by being present and engaged in our moments.
1. Refuse to hurry as much as possible.
Aim to live slowly and intentionally. Whenever you feel the urge to hurry, stop yourself. Try to leave margin in your days so that you don’t have to rush from one task to the next.
2. Put down the phone.
Try to avoid scrolling, even when sitting in waiting rooms. Teach yourself to be present to what is happening around you, and you will be on your way to savoring life.
3. Listen closely.
Other people need our love and attention. Look into the eyes of the person in front of you in every conversation. Listen for gentle impressions from the Lord. He wants to show you how to love the people he places in your path.
4. Eat slowly.
Taste the food as you chew. Don’t watch TV or scroll through Facebook. Be present while you nourish your body.
5. Get outside daily.
God’s heavens proclaim his glory every day. Aim to take even a short walk to the end of your driveway or stand on your front step for a few minutes. Breathe. Feel the air in your lungs, the wind on your face, or the sunshine on your skin.
6. Keep counting gifts.
Give thanks for spring rain showers, hot mugs of coffee, smiling children, and warm meals. Count God’s gifts all day long, and you will be on your way to savoring life.
Your Invitation to Savor Life Today:
I close with an invitation for you today.
Take a moment to reflect on the past day.
You probably faced some difficult moments. Meanwhile, there were gifts woven into even the toughest moments. Imagine the gifts were suddenly stripped away. Imagine the ache you would feel in your chest and the emptiness in your heart.
Today, take a moment to thank God for the gifts you often take for granted.
Thank him for the loved ones who drive you up the wall with their silly habits, the children who make messes in your home, and the friends who interrupt your schedule. Thank God for your imperfect job, cluttered house, and noisy pets.
Give thanks for the gifts while you have them. You never know what tomorrow holds.
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