When I was a child I remember how rare candy was at my house. It was rare because of cost, not so much the enforcement toward healthy eating, but I am sure that was part of it. I can remember squirreling away my Halloween candy (admittedly a large bag of it) in my dresser drawer and stingily eating little pieces of it all winter and into the spring until Easter candy took its place. I can remember the rare bag of M and Ms being parceled out piece by piece to all three (long before the birth of my two younger siblilngs) of us kids making sure we all had the exact same number of pieces.
New clothes were also a big deal. I remember one Christmas getting a pink sweater with golden new-moon shaped beads around the neck that I wore and wore until the moons were tarnished, it had become tight under my arms, and it had developed too many holes to wear anymore.
We never had any magazines at our house and I remember devouring them in the reception area of the doctor's office, always hoping that we had to wait a long time before the nurse called us into the examination room.
There were no distractions of children's television, video games, computer activities or phone texts. I could savour the lilacs blooming each spring in the back yard right after breakfast and I did. A good book and my imagination took me on wonderful journeys more detailed than any Avatar movie whose scenes were designed through another's vision. A trip to the city was an exciting adventure, even though we didn't do anything more fun there than shop in a few stores. It was the change of scene and sound that I savored.
If you are allowed every distraction, adventure and luxury as a child, do you ever really savour it. It will be there tomorrow or next season surely once again, why bother to savour it? Do your learn the technique of savouring something or does your life consist of hurrying on to the next best thing? Must the skill of savoring be learned? Does a chocolate cupcake crammed into one's mouth or with just the frosting eaten first taste as good as that one that you eat ever so slowly and think about each bite as it coats your taste buds knowing that it will be a long time before you get to savor another?
Excellent post, Tabor and one I wish all teenagers could read. Little do they know the art of savoring and appreciating.
ReplyDeleteI witness this in my grandchildren all the time; not that they have every thing - but that they don't really appreciate what they do have, since they've never had to go without it.
Good go Tabor! I've tried to keep my grandkids grounded in the small joys of life: Gathering heart rocks, blowing bubbles, watching birds, wading in the creek, making mud pies, riding horses, etc.
ReplyDeleteWill they remember me as their wild weird granny, gosh I hope so!
The anticipation of a coming event is almost as good as the event itself.
ReplyDeleteI don't see children today really appreciating anything, much less savoring it. I think this comes under the heading of "too much of a good thing."
Great points. It's our jobs as parents to make sure that our kids savoured what we made available to them. It's their job to do the same for their kidlets. They of course have more available to them than we did, just as we had more than our parents before us. Their passions may still be few and far between and hopefully they will always enjoy and savour, and not tire of them.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favourite times was introducing my grandchildren to collecting beach glass. They were thrilled to start their own collections. The trouble nowadays is that parents are scared to let there be space for quiet and reflection. It is a gift we can share.
ReplyDeleteIt's always a good lesson to try and remember: slow down and enjoy. Thanks for the reminder.I think there are still some kids who can do this and at the same time many adults who can't or won't.
ReplyDeleteTabor, I was right there with you!!
ReplyDeleteThe comments say it all.
Savoring takes time - and kids nowadays seem to have every moment of their time taken up with something. Classes in school change every 40 minutes. TV shows are interrupted with ads every few minutes. I think savoring is now an art, rather than a natural thing...
ReplyDeleteYour words brought back some memories my own childhood - I, too made my candy last and last.
I don't think I ever savored anything much as a child so slow was I. I failed too often to have hope. Yup, I got two new dresses one year...and that was the height of it. When they sent me away to school another year, I got a dress, skirt and sweater set, and two pairs of shoes. My best times were climbing to the top of the pine trees in the front yard.
ReplyDeleteWith a more than little help from Simon and Garfunkel:
ReplyDeleteSlow down, you move too fast.
You got to make the morning last.
Just kicking down the cobble stones.
Looking for fun and feelin' groovy.
Hello lamppost,
What cha knowing?
I've come to watch your flowers growing.
Ain't cha got no rhymes for me?
Doot-in' doo-doo,
Feelin' groovy.
Got no deeds to do,
No promises to keep.
I'm dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep.
Let the morning time drop all its petals on me.
Life, I love you,
All is groovy.
(59th Street Bridge Song)
beautiful reflections!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Tabor! I am trying to figure out how teach my grandkids that small is something to be treasured and that more is not necessarily better.
ReplyDeleteThey seem to feel that owning the latest high tech toys is essential and that the debt load that goes along with having such things is normal and acceptable. Once they have acquired the latest new toy, they become bored and immediately start thinking about buying something else.
RYN: Oh, you made me laugh. Now I can't think of myself without a little golden crown balanced on top of my head. LOL Thanks.
ReplyDeleteLoved this post Tabor! You are so right! And I think nowadays to savor has to be taught. Patiently and consistently.
ReplyDeleteHugs
SueAnn
I cannot slow down and I cannot savor. We were so deprived as children that I love excess being available and I want it now before it disappears.
ReplyDeleteBut you have already learned the value of savoring something Grannie so you should be able to indulge.
ReplyDeleteVery good post, Tabor, and much 'food-for-thought'.... I feel as if today's kids (and today's world) are very very spoiled. Kids/people today don't know what it's like to have less and appreciate it more. I think that is one thing which is wrong in our country now... We are spoiled, greedy and selfish... And we feel 'entitled' --when it comes to having everything given to us.... I yearn for the 'good-ole-days' at times... Then I get selfish myself!!!! ha
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Betsy
I saw your comment at Carmi's; dandelion come from the French: dent-de-lion or tooth of the lion.
ReplyDelete