REFRESH THE SOUL WRITING PROMPT 4

What Everyday Things Have Become Sacred and Marvelous To You?

Holding On To Precious Moments Through Tangible Objects

Maybe it’s a trinket or something much larger. Maybe it’s a piece of clothing, a tapestry, a kitchen spoon, or a stuffed animal. Sometimes our tangible, everyday objects become sacred and marvelous to us.

For me, my friend Judy and her family gave me a potato masher when their mother passed away. It holds such great meaning to me because of who she became in my life. I would often go to visit when Judy would go. I became a bit of a tag-along.

Her mother, Mary, loved to cook for her family, so we could count on being welcomed with a feast. One of the things she made was mashed potatoes. Every time she made mashed potatoes, it was like you died and went to heaven. One day, after everyone had finished eating, she grabbed the pot and handed it to me, saying, “You want to finish it?”

I grinned, cradling the pot, scraping all the mashed potatoes from the sides.

When Mary passed away, her family saw the potato masher and instinctively said, “Let’s give it to Nancy.” It sits with the rest of my ladles and spoons and, rest assured, every time I use it, I think of Mary.

Isn’t it interesting how an everyday object can become a sacred and marvelous gift of joy?

“When my wife was sixteen she played the lead role in her high school play, and someone gave her a bouquet of flowers. She kept one of the roses until it dried, and when the petals fell off, she put them in a box, which she has carried with her ever since. Now that the emotional connections to the play have faded, the object is important because it has been with her for so long.”

— Shaun McNiff in Earth Angels: Engaging the Sacred in Everyday Things

What about you?

Is there an everyday object that holds great sacred meaning to you?

Writing Prompt:

Tell the story about one object that you have had for many years. What meaning does it hold?

I’m thankful for all the writers who share their stories, poetry, gratitude, and inspiration with this community.

James Beaufait Kris Bedenian Charisse Tyson Chris Blackman Francesco Carrubba Li Shen Juana Flor June Kirri Mercedes O'Leary Mira Khatib Obinna Uruakpa Susan DuMond Sarah Marie Trista Signe Ainsworth Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles Wire Editor Newman Sam Ochstein Jules Starley Gem Blackthorn Martin L Shuck Jessica White Pauline Evanosky Michael Holford pockett dessert Drashti Shroff Emily Forman Amanda Laughtland Paul Neathery Jaclyn Wilde Nilesh Dilip Bane Joe Merkle Kristie Leong M.D. Robin Oakman Lucia Landini Gary L Ellis Alexandria Cooper Bill Holmes

If you’re reading this and want to join in, you can follow and subscribe to Refresh the Soul so that you get stories of hope, humor, inspiration, and love each time a story is posted.

If you would like to become a writer, read this post and use your words to be a change agent in this world.