June/July 2026 Aspire Magazine | Page 40

Savoring is an art that begins in our senses. Meditation teacher Tara Brach writes,“ Consciously inhabiting our physical being is the gateway to full aliveness.” Can you linger longer in appreciation with your sense of sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing?

The art of savoring requires a deliberate pause. When you’ re in something good— a cold dip in the ocean, the first bite of a vineripened tomato, or a long-awaited hug from a visiting relative— slow down. Stay there. Make a mental picture that will last, one that you can revisit.

Every June I marvel at the peonies, but it’ s not enough to just“ see” them. To savor, we must give ourselves over to them wholly. Pause. Explore the scent, the texture of the

petals. Observe the way the ants crawl over the buds, the way the morning dew pools on the leaves.

Make a“ memory-anchor” of that moment in the garden, so that in the depths of winter, you can revisit this June afternoon and remember that beauty will always return.

Savoring also helps us hold the memories of those we’ ve lost. When I look at photos of family vacations— paddling the Bass River of Cape Cod, the laughter on the sidelines of a game— a whole era of life arises.

I sit in gratitude for those chapters, the joy and love they brought. I remember hugging my grandmother, Libby. I can still recall the scent of her perfume and the softness of her cheek against mine. Because I savored those moments then, I carry that comfort within me always.