Art

I am in love with good design. It makes me swoon a little to see beautiful objects or environments that have been thoughtfully planned for maximum function and sensual appeal. That is, for me, a breathtaking combination. But even though my eyes are drawn to beauty, my life is not about consumption and has made a most drastic shift in the other direction in recent years. Instead, I find myself delighting in the art of living. And, there is an art to daily existence.

Here are some of my favorite works:

bathing. Those who know me well realize that I have a passion for good soap. The warmth of the water coupled with the delicious fragrance and suds of the soap are a daily feast for the senses.

tea. I love wrapping my fingers around a warm mug of tea, inhaling the steam.

laundry. I find that there is beauty in a neatly folded stack of towels both in the uniformity and in the lingering aroma of the lavender soap in which they were washed.

vacuuming. In the same way that the Japanese sand gardens comfort and delight, for me there is something quite appealing about the tracks that my vacuum cleaner makes in the carpet.

Cooking. Chopping, stirring, and tasting the fruit of my labor

I am learning to fully appreciate the beauty of ordinary things and the intricate steps of this dance that we are all engaged in. It is the dance of creation.

Busy

It feels good to finally sit down and say something. November was a blur. I drafted one post and also fully intended to write something thankful last week, but somehow neither of those two things came to fruition. One remains in limbo: a draft. The other, a lingering sense of gratitude.

I have been busy...breathing in and out enjoying this miracle called life, together with the various tasks that comprise that miracle.

We did have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I hope that you did, as well.