It was a warm beautiful day…and what made it such was only partly the weather.
The two of us found ourselves sitting on the porch just outside where all the merriment was taking place. With only occasional times of connecting yet decades of relationship between us we easily slipped into a reflective conversation.
Thirty years prior I had officiated at his wedding to one of my oldest and dearest camp friends. Today he was the father of the groom so the space was even more ripe for reflection.
“Good to share another one of your ‘dozen days’,” I offered. “Dozen days?” He queried. “Yes, I like to think of it as each one of us gets a ‘dozen days’ that are particularly memorable,” I responded. “Graduating, getting married, birth of a child – days that most likely won’t happen again. That being the case, they are particularly important not just to pay attention to, but to savor,” I offered.
The challenge of these ‘dozen days’ is that they are often front-loaded with hopes, dreams, and expectations. Often a great deal of energy, especially
emotion, over a desired perfect day can overshadow the true awesomeness of what is actually happening. There is beauty in simply recognizing and savoring the blessing of the day.
There are blessings every day that are worth our attention. And, to be aware there are particular days – ‘dozen days’ – in our journey that are not only worthy of paying attention to but savoring the blessing.
“It doesn’t have to be
the blue iris,
it could be
weeds in a vacant lot,
or a few small stones;
just pay attention,
then patch a few words together and don’t try
to make them elaborate,
this isn’t a contest but the doorway
into thanks,
and a silence in which
another voice may speak.” -Mary Oliver
BP