35yoSeeking... simple joys

Word Count: 300

Walking my neighborhood. Organizing my closet. Listening to music. FaceTiming my family. Making a fancy coffee or cocktail. Sitting on my deck. Stretching every day. Styling my condo. Talking on the phone. Baking. Reading. Diffusing essential oils.

One of my favorite silver linings to this pandemic has been the rediscovery of some simple joys (also the title of one of my favorite songs from the musical Pippin, but I digress…). These are things I wasn’t doing often enough or at all. In some cases, these are things that literally take two minutes—turning on my diffuser or favorite playlist—that I just couldn’t (read: wouldn’t) take the time to do.

My group of high school girlfriends had more foresight than we could have possibly imagined when we finally launched our long-distance book club in February of this year. (But why, oh WHY did we start with Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel?!?! The quarantined plane on the tarmac still haunts my dreams.) But in all seriousness, our Zoom book club has been an excellent way to get back into reading AND stay connected with my oldest and dearest friends.

This year has also given me so much gratitude for my home. My mother is an incredibly talented interior designer, so I’ve always understood the value of having a beautiful, personal, and special home space to enjoy yourself and share with others. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m a minimalist at heart—for me, it’s just about having any “stuff,” but about having meaningful “stuff.” Being forced to spend SO MUCH time in our homes this year has given me even more appreciation for the haven of my home. So here’s to the rediscovery of simple joys and the hope that I can carry them with me into post-pandemic life.