Sunset alarm

To understand my sunset alarm, you’ll need a quick background story… Back in February, I embarked on the lamentable but necessary project of packing away holiday decorations. In my case, Christmas décor consists almost entirely of a collection of 75-ish snow people figurines that need to be individually wrapped and carefully organized in plastic tubs – so undecorating is something of a project. The task is not complete until I stack the tubs in a closet and run a cleaning cloth and vacuum over remaining dust bunnies. That evening’s effort ran through dinnertime so I took quick breaks to make a nice meal, sit down to eat, and clean up.

When I was able to call it a job well done, I put up my feet and pulled up my Facebook feed to check on happenings among my nieces and nephews. In the mix of family updates and Facebook junk was a lovely series of photos from my condo complex’s page, apparently posted by someone in my very building.  They were raving about the *stunning* sunset we had had that evening and the pictures spoke a thousand words. Just. Wow!

What? How did I miss that?! I have a wall of windows! But I had just never looked outside when I was so intent on the de-Christmasing task.

And so… I now have a sunset alarm. That is, my phone is set to alert me that it is time to watch the sunset, so that I remember to look up (or turn around from my computer) to witness nature’s daily ritual. I want to savor these moments.

What it means to savor

I read an article about savoring recently that brought this story to mind. Savoring is a well-researched topic, as it turns out – one of the streams of inquiry in the positive psychology movement. Savoring is defined as “the capacity to attend to, appreciate, and enhance the positive experiences in one’s life.”

I’m reminded that life is full of opportunities to savor, to pay close attention and fully relish the joy. Savoring is not just about totally living the moment, it’s about deeply imprinting the moment in memory.

Researchers on savoring have described three main types: anticipatory savoring, in-the-moment savoring, and reminiscent savoring.

Anticipatory savoring gives you that pleasant buzz when you know that something momentous and joyous is about to happen – the birth of a child, a view at the top of a mountain, a planned vacation, or even the ketchup finally ploppig onto your burger. You want to remember what you were doing and how it felt in the “before” moments. And you are already all-in to experience the event as it happens; projecting yourself and your emotional engagement into that future. Anticipatory savoring tunes your body and mind to drinking in details when the event finally arrives. And it extends the time you spend in the experience that you deem worth savoring.

Reminiscent savoring does something similar after an event. When you reminisce on a fond memory, you relive the experience and associated feelings, dwelling on favorite aspects, relishing the past. For examples, think about getting lost in a stream of photographs, having your breath taken away by an old song and its associated memories, or spending time with others retelling your family stories. There is joy to be found in remembering joy as well.

In-the-moment savoring is a deliberate pause, cataloging every detail coming through your senses – what you see, hear, taste, touch – and deeply absorbing your feelings, your responses, the storyline you’ll tell in the future.

Close your eyes and really listen to the music, the clever turns of phrase, the slowly building horn section in the background, the rich harmonies and counter-phrases.

Take a slow turn around on the beach to experience every detail, to feel sand and cold water on your toes, to hear the birds and the kids playing and the waves.

Thoroughly enjoy making your favorite meal – the satisfying sound of chopping crisp vegetables, the glorious aroma of a simmering sauce, the lovely table setting, the fabulous taste of the result of your efforts all the better because you invested time and love in cooking it.

Watch the kiddos running around a playground, conquering challenging equipment, making up games with new-found friends, screaming and laughing with complete joy in the way only kids can.

There’s something delightful about savoring – it amplifies everyday experiences, it slows down the craziness, and it does the heart good. Savoring isn’t a reaction; it’s something you actively choose to engage.

When I first started blogging my vacations, I immediately noticed how much more I attended to the sights and sounds and activities I was going through every day. Knowing that I wanted to write something interesting at the close of the day made me pay attention to details – to the weather, the experience of nature, the small joys of shopping, the little surprises, and the blessed moments of peace. I breathed more deeply, listened more carefully, looked around more purposefully, touched more inquisitively, and tried to find the words to capture the best impressions. In truth, there is nothing stopping me (or you) from treating everyday experiences like this.

Indeed, researchers have identified multiple strategies for enhancing savoring: hyping up your anticipation of what will be (perhaps pausing at the start of each day to identify the joy you plan to find in it), consciously drinking in details using all of your senses (remaining present in the moments, articulating what your senses discern), amplifying feelings with unrestrained laughter, joyous shouts, or expressive gestures (letting your emotions loose, living a little larger), sharing experiences with others (making calls to friends or telling of your daily activities over dinner), and taking mental pictures or journaling to build memories (keeping a blog or Instagram account), and even just refusing to give into cynicism or deflating thoughts (cutting short mental melt-downs, moving on from disappointments).

There is much to savor in this world: bathing in nature’s sights, sounds, smells, and miracles, engaging with loved ones, especially in laughter, experiencing art that is drenched in emotion and executed with rare talent, cuddling on your fur babies, tasting food (both fine and finger-licking good) that sustains and delights. Without savoring, life can be an endless parade of responsibilities and annoyances, rather colorless and flat. With savoring, life can be a series of adventures, full of light, and vibrancy, and joy.

Sunset lessons

I watch as many sunsets as I can, but I can’t say that I savor every one. When a particular evening explodes with color, though, I not only stay present in every moment, but use it as incentive to seek more inspiration.

French writer Francois de La Rochefoucauld argued, “Happiness does not consist in things themselves but in the relish we have of them.”

In order to savor life, I have to open myself up to bright colors and big feelings; I have to use my words to articulate the swirl in my head, focusing on what brings joy. The most spectacular sunsets are an intermittent reminder to live life with vibrancy, curiosity, and attentiveness, and to savor as many of those special times as I can.  If only there was a way to set an alarm to alert me to every opportunity for simple joys.