Today I need some deliberate joy – some active seeking and remembering what brings light to my heart, a smile to my face, expansiveness to my spirit. It feels like a necessary energetic hygiene kind of thing, and while I don’t often find myself in this position, I do pay attention when I do so I can remedy it quickly. And the truth is there’s nothing particularly wrong, certainly nothing major. Just a little offness, a little grey heaviness. I happened to read a couple things today while sorting through various blog and social media posts that just hurt my heart a little bit. I saw demonstrations of derisiveness and separation and my heart just feels heavy. I know there likely wasn’t actual meanness meant by any of it – people just struggling to find ways to say these are the values that are important to me and when you don’t share them I feel obligated to take some sort of stand.
Sometimes this all feels so confusing to me. I think it IS important to live our values and to be agents of change that make the world a more beautiful and supportive and kinder for all beings. But I so want my actions to be towards things and not against things.
Sigh. I think perhaps I need a piece of chocolate and/or a nap.
I’ve been mulling this quote from Barbara Kingsolver:
“The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof.”
It seems particularly appropriate as I’ve felt some discouragement this week over my rather snail-speed progress with the SoulSpace project. I may not be moving as quickly as I’d hoped, but I AM living in the middle of it, and this is another opportunity to be mindful of my thoughts. There is still plenty of work to be done, but I don’t want to overshadow the fact that there’s so much here that already fits my criteria of a beautiful space filled with treasures.
And because I’m wanting to shift my energy from the negativity of the stuff I read earlier, and because I’ve been totally negligent posting photos of things I love about my home, I just challenged myself to take 7 quick pics of things around me that I love as I move through the house to grab another cup of java. So here goes:
This may well be my favorite light fixture – all pink and deco-looking:
A little welcoming folk art bird hung on a door:
A happy collection – lunaria pods, penguins and a sunny dish that was my sister’s:
Fridge art:
Bird tiles in the kitchen:
More kitchen birds:
And a charming angel keeping an eye on me in the kitchen:
Ah, success. My little task worked – it’s cheered me up, shifted my energy, and made me smile. What about you? What’s cheering you up today? What treasures in your home delight you? What do you do when you need to shift your energy? Do tell – you know I love to hear.
You and your lovely blog bring me joy Deborah and always lift my mood.
And although it’s hardest to do when i’m feeling a bit, or a lot, blue, singing lifts me in seconds, whether along to the radio at full volume or humming to myself.
Have a lovely Saturday.
Fil
Thanks for the kind words Fil. And yay for singing. Even though it’s hardest to do when we’re feeling most in need, isn’t it magical that we each carry some kind of “gift” within us that we can turn to. I think about that a lot and never fail to find magic in it.
Oh Deborah,
I so feel your pain! Why are we so hard on ourselves? I think that you hit the nail on the head with this create process. I just feel like I should be so much further along than I am but in whose mind? Only my own! I am causing my own pain here. No one else is judging me. All is well.
I love your photos. In fact, your first one of your favorite light is like an answer to my prayers. What DOES one put on a ceiling for light that is not just WRONG? If it were just me, I’d go with some sort of chandelier in the bedroom but I just know that my husband would object! But then what? I do not like those ceiling fan lights, although I suppose that some might be OK. Every ceiling light I’ve seen is just kinda boring. Even this morning, laying in my resort bedroom (at our skiing retreat – yum!) I looked up at the light and thought, “boring”. Until yours! How super cute! I so want it!
As for the birds, we are both fans of those little sweet things. {Purr.} I loved this post!!
Yes, I agree Amy – it really IS all okay. And how fun that you’re on a little ski getaway. Enjoy! It’s funny how snow can seem more fun when viewed recreationally. 🙂 And good luck finding the perfect light fixture.
Deborah, Another lovely post. When the world feels to have too many sharp edges for me, sometimes I really benefit from using pink yarrow flower essence. It seems to buffer my field and soften my experiences. What delights me this week is the 3 days spent in the process of hand-dyeing fabric. OH, the luscious colors and shapes and surprises that come out. Blessings to you.
Oh pink yarrow essence is a wonderful suggestion Janet! Sometimes when I take it I also add White Clover, which adds another gentling layer to it.
How fabulous you’ve been playing with coloring cloth! And I love those double pleasure things – having fun dyeing and then having fun using the cloth. Can’t wait to see what you do.
Thank you for the info on white clover. It has been added to my list!
Excellent Janet – I think you’ll like it.