On Fridays I will post about something that makes me happy. Maybe if you are reading this post you will share something that makes you happy, too!
The photo above is of my bedside table. Full disclosure – if the photo was of the entire table top you would see a tub of decidedly un-photogenic moisturizer, two or three books stacked precariously, and a crumpled up tissue from last night. When I started this blog, I wanted to steer clear of giving the (false) impression that I have a perfect life. However, there are little corners of my life that are beautiful and that do give me great pleasure, and I want to share that sense of gratitude with you. I know that within each of our messy lives, there are these corners of joy, and I think it is a good practice to spend some time each day dwelling on these things, and ignoring the metaphorical crumpled tissues of our lives. I decided to leave the Apple Watch charging in the photo for some semblance of reality!
So. The photo above. First of all, my bedside table was made my father, who passed away in 2014. He was a master carpenter and a true artisan. One of his specialties was creating tables using intricate marquetry for the table tops. I treasure this table as a remembrance of my dad’s talent, his hard work, and his love for his family.
On the table is one of three “yoga ladies” that I bought from World Market last year (they came in a set of three, each with a slightly different arm position). I have one in my cubicle at work, and the last one currently resides in the kitchen, but she doesn’t seem very happy there and may be moving to a new location sometime soon. Whenever I look at one of my yoga ladies, a sense of serenity comes upon me. They remind me to take a couple deep breaths and slow down.
The pewter tray on the table was actually the only thing I was going to write about today. It was only after I took a good look at the photo that I realized how much in the photo actually makes me happy as well. I bought the tray in a store called Pierre Deux in Carmel, California probably 25 years ago. Pierre Deux specialized in French Country fabrics and furnishings, including little pewter trinket boxes, trays, and picture frames. About a year ago I started using this tray on my bedside table to hold my earrings and necklace each night. Oh gosh, that necklace in itself makes be happy, but perhaps that will be a post for another Friday. What makes me so happy about this tray is that it gives me a sense of ritual every night as I remove my necklace and earrings in getting ready for bed. Rituals and routines may be boring to some, but I find them very reassuring and comforting. There was a time in my life when the earrings and necklace would have ended up in any number of random places each night (or not removed at all), but I have found that creating this evening ritual makes me happy.
I will be back on Monday. I hope you have a peaceful, relaxing weekend!