Years owning the farm; New Year’s days were filled with celebration overload and chores that required attention regardless of how lazy I felt. This first day, I never ventured farther than the bird feeders in the back yard. My attire was soft PJs and my chosen activity was downloading a new book and moving from my bed to the couch. There was no urgent need to do anything beyond small meals for myself and Alice. The hum of the furnace and the crackle of the fire were my theme songs and I vowed to give myself the day off.
With 364 days yet to come, I spread the contents of my memory jar across the table and reread the moments of the past year. The jar is empty but not in a negative sense. Like the days ahead, it is a receptacle for the joys, struggles and adventures yet to unfold.
In the past, I emptied the jar at midnight, alone on the eve of the new year. After reading each slip of paper, I tossed them on the fire. Last year I decided to place them all in a sealed envelope, a time capsule of sorts. So once again, with a final review, I carefully gathered them up and wrote 2015 across the front of a new envelope. The jar is clean and shiny again, the dust and fly specks of the past 12 months polished away. A new memory slip has already fluttered to the bottom.
Therapeutic Misadventures 
I like the idea of saving them. Perhaps every 5 years would be a good time to sit and reread the memories. I wish I had the resolve to keep up a memory jar.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t see it as resolve so much as rewarding myself with little bits of happiness. Like a time capsule, it would be fun to review them every 5 years, as you said.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah ha!! So THIS is the glass that is refillable!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are brilliant, Doppleganger. Want to be my agent?
LikeLike
Anytime Darling Mine!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve decided to try out a memory jar for 2016! it looks like an amazing way to recall the finer details of your life
LikeLiked by 1 person
So glad you are going to give it a try, Joanna. It is worth the small effort and a fun way to remember the little moments!
LikeLike
Lovely! I don’t use a memory jar but do enjoy reviewing my journal notes, re-reading old posts and breathing in the heady aroma of accomplishment of past projects, photos and memories of good times.
The bad stuff? I indulge myself here as well but try to be gentle, gleaning what I can and resolving to do better going forward and learning the lessons of less desirable outcomes and events.
Here’s to 2016!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Julie, all the best to you!!
LikeLike
Hope the happy outnumber the others this year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Susan. I’m pretty sure they will!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I meant to do this last year but never followed up. Will try again.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Keep the jar some place easy to just grab and toss a quick note in. I find it so worthwhile at the end of the year!
LikeLike
This might be good for forgetful people too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Giggling. Yes, very good for forgetful folks as long as they remember to write the notes!
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a song those will create. Will be interesting in a few years to see the patterns, the foreshadowings, the insights more important than you realized at the time.
Somehow the smooth clear cylinder seems the most appropriate container for a year – better than a closed up box with corners. Dream and memory killers, those.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A song, my kingdom for a song! Thinking outside of the closed up box with corners, could sound cliche but I love that you saw the symmetry of the jar. Thank you, oh wise mouse!
LikeLiked by 1 person
kikokiko
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you erixnouv99. Glad you stopped by.
LikeLike
I love your memory jar and I love that you are keeping them this time. I guess my blog is my memory jar, but I don’t really look back at it apart from the posts from my old blog that I’m busy resurrecting, I hope that jar is full to bursting at the end of 2016.
LikeLike
The memory jar is such a fabulous idea! Can’t wait to start one for our family!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is well worth the tiny effort! Thank you for stopping by.
LikeLiked by 1 person