Summer memories

I just returned from a week of camp with 9-12 year olds and it was a blast! I always forget how much joy kids can express and how contagious that is, until I'm with them. That seems the same for a lot of things and activities. this would be another encouragement to keep a journal, to just notice what gives me the most joy. Ignatius calls this the Examen. This is simply a way to learn to notice things and connections in life. Our lives are so busy these days that we have lost the art of just sitting in silence and ponder our lives and experiences. Picture books, journals, scrapbooks all are tools to help us remember things. The Israelites in the Old Testament of the Bible would erect stones to help them remember. The Inuit create inuksuks as signs to remember where the good hunting spots are or to show the way home. Often when I'm stuck I will page through my quilting books or fabric stash and look at all the different patterns and I will be inspired again.
I also like to collect tokens from different places I've been to help me remember special times and memories.

Inuksuk