Around this time of the year I tend to do a lot of reflection about the last (almost) 12 months. What I have accomplished, what fell by the wayside. Our Thankful Thursday is also a bit of that reflection on the things we love. I was thinking about that when I looked up from my desk and saw this hat that I got during our Colorado Christmas in July adventure this year.

I didn’t even buy it myself. My mom, and Lord knows who else, took an adventure to the dollar store in Georgetown, Colorado and home they came with this for me. For those of you who know me well, just about anything with a peace sign on it is a sure winner.
For example, check out my festive front door.

Anyway, glancing at this hat multiple times a week always takes me back to our time in July with PocaLocaLowi (formerly known as Pocahontas) in the canoe, the whole lot of us in one condo, the sisters three in our first collective 5K.

All this to say that I love meaningful mementos. That’s been a difficult task to decipher the past few weeks as I have been purging my home seriously of unnecessary items. If I am not using it, “give it to someone who needs it and will use it” is the motto these days. But sometimes it’s hard to part with things.

Some things have to stay:

 

• Tutus from the 50-miler
• My collection of turtle figurines from when I was a kid
• Happiness jars from 2013 and soon to be a wrapped year of 2014
• Bracelet Ava made me that says Aunt G

I’m sure there are others I am not remembering at this moment.

What I most notice from this list is that none of them “cost” much money and yet are maybe the things I most hold dear.

All of these mementos bring me back to the idea we’ve had all year which is about connection: real, honest to goodness connection with each other. That’s really what I get from these items, the emotional reminder of the people in my life that matter… a lot to me.

And, probably not surprising to you, not one of those things came from Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

 

Sunshine & Sarcasm,

Lowi & G