On Facebook there is a great idea floating around to get a large jar. Every day in the new year to write something fabulous that happened that day; kindness, gratitude, fun, ah-hah moments, and loving thoughts that are noteworthy and add those notes to the jar. Then next year when it is time, New Years Eve, for example, review the notes and have memories of precious times all year. I am starting today! I am not waiting until a new year.  I likely won’t wait for next new years eve to read them either, I will read them when I want to feel the warmth of precious sweet spot memories.

When an idea is brilliant and speaks to the soul, there is no time better than the present to implement the idea. Making change in any life, in the thoughts that bubble around in our conscious mind, in our creative life; there is no better time than NOW!

I have a “fluff” file. I have several actually. One is paper file at my work at a youth custody center. When the youth or the practicum student or even sometimes from fellow staff, write to me in gratitude for something I did …. I keep the note, the card, the picture, the sentiment, the printed email, in a folder in my desk. When the day comes, and it does much too often, when something terrible happens to one of the kids, I pull out the file. I read the heartfelt loving words of gratitude and know that I make a difference in their lives.  My fluff file is a celebrated collection of wonderful young people who have touched my life as I touched theirs.

I have a fluff file designated on my work email site as well for love notes and happy inspirations from people who I have worked with and their wisdom and appreciation of me.  It is very powerful to just know it exists.

Years ago I spoke at a University class about my fluff file, and then one of the gals in the room wrote to me a long time after I had moved to Victoria.  She indicated that my words had so affected her, she decided to do her practicum in my old office.  While there, she discovered some of my old fluff file stuff left behind in my many moves … she packaged it all up and sent me a note in Victoria with cards and letters my own daughters had given me when I had worked there.  I was moved to tears on the receipt of these lovely gifts that day.  First, the email that something I did and said mattered so much to her, and secondly for her generosity to send me those valuable lost items important only to me.  My kids love me unconditionally and their gifts to me always bring tears of joy to me in the remembering.

However we collect these valuable life gifts, either in a journal, or photographs, drawings, paintings, words of encouragement, cards, quotes or love notes, they are the things that make life a joyful journey.

Today is a great day to invite a new chapter, an extra backpack on the climb to the top of my Mt Everest.  Today I begin making notes of gratitude and begin the new habit that will give me such joy.

When I get to the top, my own personal top of my mountain? Will your love note be in my secret vault or tucked away in my back pack of precious life-saving and life affirming messages?

Who and what messages will be in yours?