Shining memories are those moments that glow in the remembering, the ones I hope to retain should I become a very elderly woman who forgets what was said five minutes ago.
There's a pocket in my memory bank holding those shiners. I can't predict when they're going to happen, sort of a random act of kindness of the brain. They are elusive, popping in for a brief moment then flitting away. None of them are mundane, though the moments that inspire them may seem so.
A shining memory takes shape when you realize a slice of the ordinary isn't ordinary at all. That moment has a different shape, one that makes it stick out on the shelf of life experience.
They are nearly impossible to describe. Words can't capture the essence of a moment when the soul and mind connect.
As we've been making our way through these amended Christmas plans, I've been praying for some special moments to occur. Something that would make this more than a messed up holiday.
It happened this evening. We went to Black Butte Ranch for dinner, a compensation for not having the kids around and something we hadn't done before. (Christmas Eve dinner is the biggie at our house, ensuring many leftovers. That way nobody has to cook on Christmas day.)
As we neared the end of our meal, dear friends, the Whites of Camp Sherman, came to the table next to ours.It was a sweet surprise, a burst of conviviality with folks we hadn't laughed with for ages. A night out became a special token to tuck into that mind pocket.
A shining memory is a gift, so wasn't that good timing?
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