My single New Years resolution was to read through a book called Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy, by Sarah Ban Breathnach. At her urging I spent time last night writing down some of my aspirations for 2009, some of my 'eager desires and lofty hopes'. Bit of a dreaming space, in other words. After beginning with 'a calm, beautiful birth at home,' I listed a few more things but ended up just writing down images in my head, images of my idealistic life:domestic, harvest, preserving, baby, cosleeping, reading to children, freshI often doubt I'll achieve any clarity, when I undertake an exercise like this, but it's clear to me that even if ALL these things aren't achievable right now, that this year is one of inward descent, into the domestic and into myself, in a way. And having a baby makes that a vital process anyway...for a time.
bread, goddess, customising rooms, friends gathering, healthy food, handwork, reflection, slow and small focus, creativity, breastfeeding, rainy days by the woodstove, sunny days on the deck, planting throughout the year, envisioning outdoor/garden spaces, women's circle, sense of season and cycle, kid space, craft, flowers brought inside, shared meals, loved food lovingly prepared, orchard, making jam, homeschooling, rhythm...
Lying in bed last night I was musing about the crux of all this: finding creativity in everyday life, in the small things. This is what domestic bliss is about, I think. Musing about the two blogs I keep, and how I could experiment with bringing them together, a symbolic merging of family and life, with my creative pursuits. Thought I might try blogging here each day for a month, or the best I can do, and see what happens when I'm thinking about my everyday life more deliberately. I found when I was taking photos of my life in Canada for a week (Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun), that my creative eye was switched on and creative possibilities seemed everywhere. I'd like to carry that with me more often, that ability to see.
So this is a New Years experiment, a step that may take me towards some of my aspirations, although I can't be sure of that, that's why it's an unknown. Today my domestic bliss lay partly in talking for a chunk of the afternoon with a lifelong friend in a warm loungeroom (her with a whiskey toddy, no less!), in pulling out a quilt begun years ago and putting in a few stitches, in lying in the sun at the skate park enjoying the kids enjoying the outdoor space. And later, picking up the needles in a small space before the kids' bedtime and working a few rows on what I hope will become a coffee plunger cosy.
So yes, may the New Year be a bright one for you, bright with exciting aspirations, or at least with the glimmer of change approaching, change that always brings creative possibilities. And I'll stop waxing eloquent right here!
2 comments:
I love that idea of just capturing pictures, hopes without making an overwhelming list of stuff to do...as you know, for me a to-do list is all to tempting, but not necessarily the most helpful thing! I have started my own collation of musings...we'll see where it ends up!
love this idea and I, of course, can't wait to read the daily post. xo
I too am reading Simple Abundance!!!! I've had the book for years, but only picked it up again in November. I read through January (in November) and then skipped to December in Dec. I knew I'd go back and reread January this month. So COOL that you are going through the SAME book at the SAME time. Yeah!!!! I loved and fell into each days musings. They settled deep in my heart (especially the Jan. ones). I'm enjoying going trough them a second time.
Although the other day when Dale and I were driving to Wpg, I was crying ... so frustrated that I didn't know what my 'dream' was. What was my bliss?? And then, that night, before bed as I lay in the tub and read the entry for Jan 2 .... it emphasized living the questions. Living the questions and being okay with not knowing ... trusting that the answers, if meant to, will come at the right time. Just what I need to read. I LOVE that!!!
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