I was eager to sit down and write this week’s post because I had finally followed some advice I’ve heard for years, I’m sure you’re familiar with it: when you have an idea, write it down! I had written my precious idea down and was excited to try out a new, disciplined approach to weekly blog writing!
But, when I searched my desk, it was nowhere to be seen. I spent minutes trying to find this scrap of paper. Or maybe it was on an envelope I’m still using from my mother’s collection? Where had I tucked it away for safekeeping?
I began breathing faster in this frantic search for this treasure and so I tried to slow down and regulate my breathing so I could think clearer. After resting in this way a minute, I decided to give up looking for my precious note, at least for a while.
I went to the dining room for one of Wendell and I’s little morning rituals, tearing off yesterday’s date in our daily calendar to reveal the day’s tidbit of wisdom.
The Calendar Sage asked us to think of what we would like to remember when we are 80 years old. I think the Sage’s target audience must be of the age that they have decades of time to follow this advice. We looked at each other and blinked. Here I was, sitting at the table with an 80-year-old, myself preparing to be 80 in a month. I quickly listed my memory.
I wanted to remember that the other day, after Wendell had asked me repeatedly what time we needed to leave for an appointment, more times than I could apparently tolerate at the time, I had responded spontaneously, experimenting with a new word as writers like to do, garnering a good laugh from both of us and defusing what might have become a contentious situation. This was a memory I wanted to keep. I looked Wendell in the eye with a smile on my face and said, “If you ask me that one more time, I’m going to throttle you.” Unlike the word yank from last week’s post, I have no idea where the word throttle came from. All I know is that it was a satisfying word to say. I’d never said it before and I had only a blurry picture in my mind of what it might even look like.
Not to be out done, Wendell didn’t miss a beat and said, “Well, that might be fun!”
So far, I haven’t found my little scrap of paper. If I do, maybe it’ll be next week’s post.
IMAGE: The heart leaf represents all the love that surrounds me these days.
