Open-hearted joys 開開心心 06
And just like that, April is over! For some reason, early spring has felt extra sweet to me this year. I could quite literally feel the fog clear and these blue skies have been welcomed with open arms. In between that though, I’ve felt generally off. I’ve had countless late-night meltdowns to friends over WhatsApp, taken myself to bed early, and just not quite felt like ‘me’. It’s been nice, therefore, to reflect on some of the good things amongst the bad.
There’s a lot to be said for appreciating the smaller, not necessarily finer details of the everyday mundane. Here’s to another list of petite, open-hearted joys the moments that’ve brought and woven poetry to my days, this fortnight:
一. A cosy evening of painting with my sister. Felt good to have our hands so busy that we couldn’t reach for our phones. We painted some glass drinks bottles, so that we could repurpose them for vases!
二. Planning my sister’s birthday weekend! It’s really invigorating to actually… plan things? Hers is the first post-lockdown birthday, and we’re looking forward to a few relaxed activities.
三. My new gel overlays! Finally feeling a little more ‘me’ now that my nails have been taken care of. I opted for some pastel squiggles and adorable Ghibli Soot Sprites.
四. I started watching Demon Slayer at long last! I skipped it back in 2019 because I don’t typically lean towards… demons. And also because my life was a little too fast-paced for me to devote time to my beloved anime (and even K-dramas!) with subtitles. I’m kind of obsessed with the storyline, and the animation style!
五. We bumped into one of Louise’s best friends on an after-work dog walk the other day, and I had to make note of it. It felt bizarre to ‘bump into someone’ (not physically, of course) and was another little nod towards the world unlocking. Plus, bonus dog cuddles!
六. An afternoon in the garden, stretched out under the sun with a new book and a gin.
七. Cozy Grove. This is the game I didn’t know I so badly needed. The gorgeous music, dialogue and gameplay is really helping to shake off any late-evening anxieties and Bad Thoughts.
八. Perusing a bookshop on Sunday. Real books! Armed with my gingham mask and hand sanitiser, I picked up a few new reads and I’m so excited to delve into them.
九. Twitch streams. Although lockdown is over and, yes, I live with three people, I still feel generally lonely. Watching Katy, Sian, Diana and Airu’s Twitch streams provides that sense of hanging out with a friend or colleague.
十. Working on new fragrances for & Chai! You heard it here first. We’re gearing up for a summer full of gorgeous newness and the most exciting candle season right afterwards!
What’re some of your little open-hearted joys lately?
