Colorful Links…...

Dave keeps saying we need to purchase a new refrigerator. The one we have came with the house and must be at least twenty years old. I'm sure he's right when he says it's not efficient and we'd save money in the long run on electric bills. And I absolutely hate the fact that it is a side-by-side with a narrow freezer. It's so hard to fit real food in there!

But still…it's my gallery of memories. I'm a "throw-back" and still enjoy my refrigerator magnets. The ones we all seemed to have years ago when our kids were little and posting their latest school art work was just part of the decor. Now my magnets remind me of places we've been and hold up a few precious photographs….family members smiling at me as I open the refrigerator door.

My travel souvenirs are refrigerator magnets reminding me of Paris, New Mexico, buffalo herds in Yellowstone National Park, a trip to New Orleans, Williamsburg, Glacier National Park, snorkeling in Bonair, visiting Disney World, Seattle, Akumal Mexico, Maine, South Dakota, walking through New York City. Our trip to Bruges in Belgium, our time with the kids in Jackson Hole, our Alaska cruise and exploring Ireland with good friends. Every time I turn toward the refrigerator I'm reminded of just how fortunate I am to be able to have these memories of such good times and beautiful places.

I also like to buy the magnets that share quotes like: "One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries." (A.A. Milne) or "It's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years!" (Abe Lincoln) or "It is never too late to be what you might have been." (George Eliot) or "I understand the concepts of cooking and cleaning. Just not how they apply to me." (Anonymous!)

And two of my favorites: "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." (Unknown) This one so perfectly captures our feelings as we decided to sell everything and live on our sailboat for two years - we didn't want to look back and say "I wish we'd done that!" Now we look back and say "I'm SO glad we did that!"

And on days I'm feeling a little down, I do take my cup of coffee, stand in front of the refrigerator and read the Apache blessing: "May the sun bring you new energy by day. May the moon softly restore you by night. May the rain wash away your worries. May the breeze blow new strength into your being. May you walk gently through the world and know its beauty all the days of your life."

So I guess I'll keep my old refrigerator for awhile longer - it's just a colorful part of my kitchen - part of my every-day-life and it does make me smile whenever I look at it.