Treasures take on different forms

Way back in 1995 in late November Lauralea and I were in North London for two weeks connecting with new friends and living the London life. We wandered and wondered up to the high street one evening in the frosty air and found a little book shop open right there on the local shopping street.

We dawdled through and one of the treasures we discovered was a magazine put out by the BBC with a free classical music CD attached to it. This one was Decembers and it was full of Christmas music done by groups throughout Europe. We bought it and took it home and it quickly became one of our favourite Christmas CD's.

Over the years whenever I could find the magazine in a local bookstore I'd pick one up and more often than not I would enjoy the music on it, meant to give a range of classical musical expressions. I would save it and head out early the next day. Before I would go to the office I would stop in at Tim Hortons and order a coffee and a toasted bagel. Then when seated near a window in the early morning winter darkness, I would pop the new cd into the player and open the magazine and read about life and music around the world.

It was a great way to expand my musical taste, enjoy a good bagel, and experience some culture from the other side of the world. It was rare but occasionally when I bought one, it was a fun way to start the day.

The other day Lauralea and I were with friends at a large bookstore and I came across this months BBC Classic Magazine with a CD attached to it, still in production. I bought it and have been saving it for a few moments of quiet reflection with the CD and the magazine. Maybe a bagel if I'm lucky.

It's become one of those little moments we create for ourselves and then over time the practice becomes a treasure for us. Those are enjoyable treasures to have.

Its Christmas and always a good time to build some of those practices for yourself. Traditions that will be practiced for years and one day when you don't even realize it, they become a treasure for you. Or maybe its time to think about one of those treasures you already have in the tank, and head out and pull out the treasure and enjoy it a bit.