Important things

“Happiness is not something you experience,  it is something you remember”.  Oscar Levant

Since the beginning of the pandemic,  I have cleaned out the attics of 3 different people.  With nothing more than an old mulch shovel and a burn barrel I have had to make difficult choices as to what was important or meaningful. 

It is difficult to try to make respectful choices when I don’t have the emotional connection to the people involved.  These people were strangers to me.  Like an archaeologist, I only began to understand them through the things they left behind. 

I had to decide what I think was salvageable and/or important to keep based on my preferences. I am sure the people whose memories I am sifting through would have made different choices. 

This past weekend we had a snow weekend and I got to do something I have been thinking about for a long time.  I ventured into my own attic.  

Each year my children were little I would buy a big “sterilite” box.   As they brought home any papers or tests,  I would put them all in their respective boxes.  At the end of the year I would place each box in the attic. 

I have lots of boxes of papers and it was time to sort and to make decisions on what is meaningful for our family. To organize what my children will find when they have the task of cleaning out the attic. 

Among the contents of the boxes,  I found a paper written by my daughter.  She began by using the above quote.

It is a profound quote. 

While I have not forgotten the sleepless nights and sometimes endless ear infections, etc. those difficulties were no longer the focus of that period of my life.   

I choose to remember the hugs and the special movie nights.  Dancing with my son at his first Cotillion dance. 

All of these experiences are my remembered happiness. 

As I sat among the pile of papers I recognized how happy my life has been to this point.  How fortunate I am to have amazing relationships with my children.  And how that is my priority….my happiness. 

I am fortunate,  I am happy! 

This exercise was also a call and a challenge to live in the moment. To not allow negativity to monopolize our remembrances.  To recognize the positive things as the important things. 

We all get to decide how we will remember our own happiness.  

Thank you Aubrey and Garrison!  

Much love,