Friday Reflections is all about reflecting on the week by observing our senses. My hope is that this will be a gentle, easy way to tune into how we are doing and what we are experiencing weekly when journaling in general can feel so daunting.
Now, for this week’s Friday Reflections (with each sense as your inspiration, consider how experiencing it impacted your week).
Here is my sensory round-up for this week:
tasting :: Mint Chocolate goodness in many forms.
Form #1 Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies (with Andes Mint bits- this recipe is the closest I could find to what I do. The one major difference is that we do one cup of Andes Mint bits and one cup of semi-sheet chocolate chips and we don’t use quite so much green food coloring, just a few drops). We had a big ole’ baking session last weekend and are still enjoying these tasty treats.
Form #2 Mint Chocolate Brownies that my childhood best friend’s mama makes every Christmas and then mails me some of them because she remembers that they were my favorites when I was seven and in her kitchen (they still are). How sweet is that? I forget that she sends them every year until the package arrives and then I cry. It’s just amazing to be remembered by someone thirty years later, you know? The linked recipe is a close approximation of Mama G’s.
hearing :: This is How Your Lose Her by Junot Diaz. I’ve heard Junot Diaz speak a couple times and I love his voice, voice inflection, and diction. It feels like home in some way– not South Carolina home but like the home in my heart, the perfect confluence of a Caribbean Latino and America and street and smarts. Because I love his voice so much and love how he reads his stuff, I was THRILLED when I discovered he is the reader on his audiobook for This is How You Lose Her, his latest collection of linked stories. There is also some fabulous music between stories. Win-win.
smelling :: Frosted Pomegranate, the most delicious candle scent from The Tyler Candle Company. I facilitated a couple Passion. Purpose. Plunge retreats this week and this scent was the “smell”track of them.
seeing :: The look of sheer joy on Happy’s face each night as he unwraps another book from his “book” tree. We are counting down to Ethiopian Christmas (January 7th) with a new book each night. Happy loves book so this thrills me and we are enjoying the variety. To make this a more affordable exercise, I bought the bulk of the books from Scholastic Book Clubs through his preschool.
feeling :: Heartbroken over Sandy Hook but, like everyone, trying to piece my way forward.
wishing/hoping :: for our nation to come together for comprehensive solutions that lead to change and, thus, healing.
What about you? What were your sensational experiences this week? Please share!
This post was inspired by Teacher Goes Back to School who was inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.
