Sapientia Sapor Boni

Not too long ago I was at a writer’s retreat where Reed Arvin shared some of his insight into the writer’s process. Some of you may know his name from the liner notes on Rich Mullin‘s albums. Reed produced Rich’s timeless music most of the time. He has since evolved into quite the novelist, writing critically acclaimed thrillers and still taking the time to talk to up and coming artists…nice guy.

He quoted St. Bernard of Clairvaux: “Sapientia Sapor Boni”…or ‘it is wisdom to savor what is good’.

I love that quote…and I’ve since tried, at least once a day, to stop and savor something ‘good’.

It’s sort of tough to do on days when it’s 14 degrees outside and you forgot to take out the trash, and you’re shutting yourself in because your trying to finish lyrics or music to a song that you thought were done but they aren’t and they seem to be mocking you, and bills are staring at you from the table unopened, and the van is making a funny noise when you hit a certain speed…

you know what i mean…the usual ebb and flow of life.

So, if it’s a simple thing like, hot water in the shower…or a passing smile that flashes across my wife’s lovely face…or an old picture from a dear friend that just got posted on facebook…or a good piece of chocolate…or taking in a great movie…or cranking a favorite song at full blast on the speakers…or a hot tasty cup of coffee…I’m doing my best to savor those things.

I’m trying to let those moments linger…or at least, I’m trying to notice them a bit more.

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” –phillipians 4:8