Open-hearted joys 開開心心 42

Somehow, February found us. And it feels like all of the hard work of January paid off: new habits have stuck, the fresh month has taken the edge off of things, we celebrated the 15th day of Lunar New Year, and there are fun things on the horizon. It’s Valentine’s Day soon – this romantic Pisces loves Valentine’s Day! – then Pancake Day, and then my birthday will arrive incredibly quickly.

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 homemade kimbap lunch by the lake, followed by a walk. It’s nice to change up WFH lunch breaks sometimes, and this was a perfect example.

二. My updated at-home desk setup. I popped to IKEA last weekend to add a lamp, monitor riser and phone stand to my desk and it’s really made a difference!

三. Learning again. I enrolled in a four-week course at London College of Fashion to further my education and it feels nice to work my brain in a different way.

四. Sun shadows dancing on bare walls.

五. Plugging away at my Deadlier: 100 of the Best Crime Stories Written by Women anthology. As a fan of true crime, I’ve wanted to explore crime fiction properly for ages and this huge tome has been a real joy. I’m discovering a love for the genre and so many new-to-me authors.

六. The joy on Milo’s face when he gets a second walkies!

七. Commemorating seven years without my beloved Granny. We visited her spot in the cemetery, left flowers and burned incense. And, my boyfriend got to ‘meet’ her too. I miss her every single day, but our rituals always leave me feeling better.

八. The full moon still being visible on Monday morning.

九. When you spot a surprise announcement for a new, 40 minute-long Nintendo Direct!

十. The feeling of having a fridge and cupboard stocked with a healthy balance of groceries for the week ahead.


What are the little joys in your life lately?

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