Memory stones
The other day, two friends and I had lunch at the Salish Lodge in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains about a half hour from Seattle. We celebrated Mary’s birthday in the restaurant overlooking the spectacular Snoqualmie Falls.
The company was lively, the food wonderful, the scenery breath taking.
But one small detail made an indelible impression on me.
On each snowy white linen napkin in the dining room, lay three stones. (You can see them if you look carefully at the picture to the left.)
We assumed they were decorative, maybe meant to be a reminder of the Northwest setting, until we asked the server who told us they had come from the bottom of the falls!
“When the water is low, in the summertime,” he said, “someone collects them.”
I’m not sure I believe the story, but it doesn’t matter.
The idea caught my imagination and infused the stones with meaning.
I brought them home (which we were encouraged to do).
Because of those stones (which now sit on my desk), I will never forget the meal, the setting and the birthday of a dear friend.
The next time you plan a celebration, what small thing can you do to make the occasion truly memorable for your guests?
Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter and authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, and founders of Green Halloween®.
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