Savor

Today I am grateful for easy ways for big families to communicate, like texting and emails. I am grateful my mom is feeling better after an early morning trip to the ER yesterday.

SAVOR is a word that you will see referenced in the growing bulk of research on happiness, the benefits of gratitude practice, and other aspects of positive psychology. Savor. Relish. Enjoy. To enjoy something for a long time. People who are able to savor life as they go through their days are happier, healthier, more calm.

So I pause patiently and consider what I can savor: 

-moments like breathing in the air of a winter thaw
-memories like my son as a infant, sleeping on my chest
-tastes of my favorite foods, like pizza
-smells of home and a fire in the fireplace
-love given and received
-morning quiet
-a fresh cup of coffee
-the act of writing in my gratitude journal
-reading recovery wisdom
-the sweat rolling down my face
-my fingers on the computer keyboard
-putting on a warm sweatshirt

And the list goes on. Gratitude practice has taught me to savor, though I still have plenty of room for improvement. It is a habit worth fostering.

What are you savoring in recent moments?