Open-hearted joys 開開心心 09

Life has been a funny mix of busy and quiet, all at the same time lately. Between you and I, I’ve really enjoyed it. I spend most of my spare time (outside of work, I mean) journalling and spending time with myself, and it’s been transformative after a year and a half of it feeling anything but. Not least because I’ve adopted a main character energy mindset or squeezed in some friendship dates, but I’ve been working away at Big Decisions too. Watch this space.

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. When surprise parcels show up your doorstep amidst a bad day.

二. Lunches of my friend Sophie’s home-baked focaccia. It’s SO delicious!

三. Finally finally reuniting with my girls last weekend, in a park in London. We bought takeout, raincoats and indulged in hours on hours of catching up. (As though we don’t spend all day to each other on WhatsApp.)

四. Being taken on a tour of Dad’s summer garden and seeing his roses and clematis plants. He’s very into gardening and flowers at the moment – it’s so special when loved ones can show off their passions to you, isn’t it?

五. Drinks in the sunshine with my friend Amelia. We’ve been friends for years and years, and it’s always so nice to hang out and chat endlessly.

六. These gorgeously glowy summer solstice evenings. I could look up at the sky for hours and hours (and so I do).

七. When four sets of traffic lights in a row turn green ‘for you’.

八. It being bullet journal migration week! I’ve seriously had the best time working on setting up my new trackers and adding stickers everywhere.

九. Buying myself the chocolates (that they used to).

十. A summer evening walk at the lake, and feeding the ducks with seed feed. The best wholesome vibes and the very best company and conversation.

What’re some of the little joys in your life lately?