Tools for Transformation Tuesday: Moment Jar

No matter how hard you try to be mindful and fully present, the truth is life moves fast... In the midst of the chaos and constant opportunities for distraction and diversion - and despite our best intentions, even the sweetest moments can disappear from our minds and hearts without a trace.

Many turn to journaling or various social media outlets to archive special events and memories, but what about those blissful flashes that happen on the fly? As my pastor likes to say, the shortest pencil is longer than the longest memory, but the thought of sitting down to capture all the details can seem like more work (and time!) than we have at hand.

Enter the moment jar. I was introduced to this simple concept by the lovely Pleasance Chyna at Lil Omm. She says:

Once every few days, I just jot down something I'm grateful for, something I love about our life, my kids, my day and throw it in. At the end of the year, I look them over and reflect back. It's fun to do this with the kids OR just for your self to savor.

I love this idea for its simplicity and immediacy. How often do we experience something worth preserving and tell ourselves, "I'll write this down when I get home/to the office/have time," only to have it slip through our porous memories before we have the chance? What if we, instead, just scribbled it down on whatever surface was available? And instead of worrying about weaving it into our carefully curated journal/instagram/facebook album, we could simply throw it in a jar?

I am excited to incorporate this practice into my own life and looking forward to revisiting a collection of sweet moments at the end of the year (or whenever I need a little lift along the way). If you find yourself with a similar craving for a simple way to preserve special memories before they disappear, give it a try. Save - and savor - your precious moments.