Tell us about times in which you linger — when you don’t want an event, or a day to end. What is it you love about these times? Why do you wish you could linger forever?
For me lingering is not about not wanting an experience to end, but reflecting on its significance to mine or someone else’s life. Traveling to different countries and cultures has given me many moments to linger and reflect on to gain understanding and insight into what life must have been like during that time in history.
My first experience of really lingering in a place was when my house was packed into removalist boxes, ready for transport next day to Sydney, prior to my marriage 25 years ago. I suddenly realised my old life was in those boxes and my new scary, exciting and mysterious life was awaiting me. I sat quietly in the dark surrounded by my mountains of boxes reflecting on my life until I gathered the momentum to close the door behind me and move forward with my life. During reflection I consider some or all of the following:
Remembering the significance
Experiencing the emotions
Frozen in time
Lingering in the moment
End of an era
Choosing a new direction
Trust
Invoking insight and inspiration
Open mindedness
New horizons