“Luxury is not a necessity to me,
but beautiful and good things are.”
I've been thinking a lot lately while doing the many mindless and mundane everyday tasks of life. Here in Wisconsin, we've had some very ugly times politically, and I've been trying to avoid as much of that as possible. Silencing all that noise leaves a lot more room for thinking your own thoughts, and noticing the little things you've been overlooking in your own life. It seems like a luxury sometimes to be silent and allow the mind to drift, but it's really a necessity, don't you think?
Today I happily rediscovered this antique embroidered cosmetic case which was a keepsake I received after my favorite aunt died when I was 11. It's a little luxury item from another place and time that made me think about the luxuries and necessities in my life.
Today I happily rediscovered this antique embroidered cosmetic case which was a keepsake I received after my favorite aunt died when I was 11. It's a little luxury item from another place and time that made me think about the luxuries and necessities in my life.
Just looking at some of my favorite spots makes me deeply happy these days, but I wouldn't call most of these things luxurious. Comfortable and pleasing to look at, yes, but not luxurious by any means.
I adore this stained glass lamp,
and the many curls of Buddha's head.
A few small pinecones, and the clay turtle I made in high school.
Old and familiar little notes to myself that have kept me grounded for years.
And books! I'd be lost without them. In this household, books are definitely more of a necessity than a luxury, to be sure.
Outside, the poppies bloomed very early and did strange things.
The rose bush has never bloomed this profusely before.
While Spring and Summer are in a rush this year, I'm definitely making a conscious effort to slow myself down.
I've written several times before on this blog that I'm really trying to take the time to notice the world around me, and that's more true than ever. Like when I saw what was left of this tree peony flower. It only looked like this for a few hours, and I've always missed this stage of the withering flower before. I think it's gorgeous, don't you?
In some ways, I think I've been following our sweet old Beau's lead as he slows down more and more each day. We've been lucky with our mild Winter and early Spring. That's made his life so much easier,. And longer, too, I think. But I know this will be his last Summer with us, and that makes each day more meaningful.
Taking the time to be silent and appreciate the little things is becoming a necessity to me, more and more. I don't need luxurious things, just the simple things I love.
I haven't had much opportunity to make art, but I plan to change that again starting next week. Finding the time and space to make art is a luxury right now, but it's a necessity too. I'm much happier when I can be painting or drawing or creating in some way.
I found this on Tumblr today, and it expresses how I feel about art perfectly these days.
I Will Not Make Any More Boring Art, 1971
