Today is a tucked up in bed day, for pain is giving me a bit of a beating. I’m learning to rest in it and muddle through it and find ways to thrive in it, but then there are other moments:
“Sometimes,
before you make any plans or resolutions,
before you declare your heroic intent to persevere,
you just have to cry.”
Jaclyn Dolamore
I love that quote. It makes me smile and not feel bad for having a bit of a crumply time. I will be heroic, I will persevere, I will make good plans and stalwart resolutions, I will be creative and give way to belly laughs and make delicious things to eat, but not yet.
First I will rest and know it’s quite alright to be weepy and achy and have quite enough of sad, bad things happening in my life and the lives of people I love.
“Being happy isn’t having everything in your life be perfect.
Maybe it’s about stringing together all the little things.”
Ann Brashares
Over the past week I’ve started taking pictures with my phone of “all the little things.” The small, insignificant happinesses that dot my life even on bad days. Here are some of them:
Going out for breakfast with Bear and having good talks over a hazelnut latte and toasted ham and cheese croissant.
Cheerful wool socks that keep me warm on this week of stormy, stormy days.
Soft, sleepy light filtering through the window on a rainy afternoon.
A gorgeous faux turquoise necklace dripping with stones: $4 at the thrift store.
Handmade medieval Finnish shoes from Bear.
Bear and I holding hands while we drive to town to run errands.
Homemade chocolate chip cookies by candlelight as a storm rages outside.
Stringing them all together gives me such a lovely feeling of warmth and belonging.
What little happy things would you string together from your life this week?
I feel you so completely. I crumple over all my sad and bad at least once daily now, it seems– until/unless certain seemingly hopeless circumstances change, I’ve learned to fight this constant undertow of sadness while stringing together the many, many beautiful and happy things around me. They’re never hard to find.
Thank you so much for writing, @795a570848db2d9effe6fb6d1c622200:disqus XO “a constant undertow of sadness” describes it so perfectly. I’m so glad you’re fighting it and finding good, good things to give you strength. XO
ALWAYS. As many smiles as tears if not more! You and your little wonders are a source of so many smiles. All the good you do!!!
Now I have tears with my smile, @795a570848db2d9effe6fb6d1c622200:disqus 🙂 Thank you. XOXO
this is one of my most favorite posts of anyone ever. It is in the little things that we see the things biggest in our hearts. those are beautiful lovely little things that you captured with a camera. Each photo tells the sweetest story of a lovely woman and her good man and the beautiful life they have together.
I am a weepy thing today, dear @knittingthemoment:disqus 🙂 Your comment has me puddling up all over again. 🙂 I love you. XO So much. XO
Beautiful krista as always. I took pictures and sent them via text message to my mother in law and mother in order to include them in our daily lives. It was such a great reminder of the spots of joy and even the tolerable monotony that comes sometimes. I still have a lot of them in my phone and smile when I remember those bits of days. This week it has been; chasing the dog around our new home (she’s very naughty 🙂 ) listening to wonderful music, curling up in bed early and watching smutty tv, and sitting next to a crackling fire. Love you!
I love that idea, @google-9db32c294b0cb30c06c25eefd18dc701:disqus 🙂 Your texts must make their day. 🙂 I’m laughing about your naughty dog because my Luna has been SO naughty this week too!! What gets into them?? 🙂 I love your string of things, dear friend. And miss you and love you very much. XO
stringing together the little things… that is a piece of joyous wisdom>>>>
I loved it too, @62001814d9d7e41ffc94251e56fa448f:disqus So much. XO
What a wonderful idea and when you are resting in bed you can flick through them and smile and be content. I would string together Pistachios just
waiting to be cracked open, the sun lighting up the tops of late afternoon clouds on the horizon, the turkish bowl my daughter bought for me in Brisbane,
when she gave it to me I told her about yours, the Egyptian print my son gave me from the Tate Gallery without realizing is was of a sexual nature, lol,
and the delicious date scone I ate for morning tea. p.s. I love the photo of Bear and Your hands.
I love your string of good things, @budgetjan:disqus , and laughed right out loud about the gift from your son. How hilarious! 🙂 (the photo of our hands is my favorite too :-))
It is good to hear that you are taking care of yourself and resting Krista and visualising how you will be strong soon. I’d string together a cream tea shared with my husband, reading aloud to my son, walking/ rollerblading/ skateboarding together on the seafront (my kids and I), and cuddles with my daughter 🙂
Such wonderful things on your string, @wanderingsheila:disqus 🙂 No wonder they make you happy! Thank you for cheering me on in taking care of myself. Sometimes it’s hard, but it’s always worth it. 🙂 xo
If we took photos of all of the little things that make us happy each and every day we would be smiling for eternity. It is a good excercise in appreciation and happiness.
You are so right, @d58b26e263bfdbd99d844b965c5cbbfb:disqus 🙂 Someone encouraged me to do it and I’m so thankful they did. It’s helped me tremendously. XO
I think I am going to do this too – take a pic of all the little things I love and pin it up on a board for when I am feeling down! Fresh linen; an excellent cup of coffee; my mandarin and grapefruit body lotion; a pretty ring I bought in Paris; the prints of Japanese cat drawings that my parents bought for me in Japan when I was only 6 months old and which have hung on the walls of all three houses I have lived in. The list is endless :))
I love your idea of adding these images to an actual board, @76b7f5617f998f38e3daf83409eb82fb:disqus 🙂 Bear and I just found a cork board at a thrift store the other day, and I think I will use it for that. Inspiration. Reminders of goodness and beauty. 🙂
Ah, we all feel pain and sadness and we really must focus on the special little things. Funny, I run away from the evil thoughts by going outside and taking photos with my phone of all the funny little things I see. It is perfect therapy. Sending a *hug*
It IS perfect therapy, @71eb07213759ab4e5611e1dd9f1df8a7:disqus 🙂 And I love when you take us on a wander of your town, finding hidden treasures and beauties and delights along the way. 🙂 Thank you so much for the hug. XO
Sorry to hear you are at low ebb may it be short lived, hopefully just looking at all these little things you are grateful for are helping the healing process Krista.
It sure will, dear @google-9c2cabc6737d76d3ba841e28d670a9c0:disqus XO Sometimes everything piles up until it is too much, but we make it, we always make it. 🙂 XO
I find a good cry to be exactly what I need at times. there’s just no two ways about it!! Hope you’re back in good spirits soon!
Absolutely, dear @joanneeatswellwithothers:disqus 🙂 It truly does a body good. 🙂
oh too many little things – i’m v. late to this conversation. but just to say – sometimes it’s not until we feel we’re safe and that the battle is much over that we allow ourselves the luxury of crumpling. have a good old crumply wallow and come back strong when you’re ready!
You are the best, dear @9d73767d10227efff04c7307e331304c:disqus XO “a good old crumply wallow” – I love that so much. Thank you. 🙂
My heroine. Stringing all the things together. Peace. Chocolate Chip Crisps. Homealone. Watching Chopped.
Lots of love dearie, it will be well!
I love your beautiful things, dear @132fe8be674f43d4508b19c8db8df791:disqus 🙂 They make me smile. 🙂
Lovely photos and I love those socks ;P