Open-hearted joys 開開心心 61

Autumn this year has been full of dichotomies: it’s been a joy to revel in my favourite things of the season, but it’s also been full of hard things. Life is quite turbulent at the moment and so I’m finding it hard to ‘show up’ in the ways I usually do. Instead, messages are left unread, plans are not being made, posts are not being written and I’m not doing much more than work, study, read and sleep. That’s fine too.

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. Weathering rainstorms with a duvet day and plenty of films and naps.

二. Lighting a Brewster Soy Candle from our & Chai stash to start a fresh day. It’s easily still one of my favourite scents – with our unmistakable crackle wicks – and you can shop it now with complimentary UK delivery.

三. The elation at finally completing Grey’s Anatomy on Disney+ and thus being up to date. Not sure whether to class watching 19 seasons of a TV show within a year as an achievement or a solid example of just how much time I spend at home…

四. Pumpkin-carving contest time! One of my favourite traditions with my boyfriend… even if I did lose this year!

五. A Sunday well spent: up early for a gym session with my boyfriend, and then a sister date in the afternoon, meandering secondhand bookshops, drinking matcha lattes and having a big ol’ catch-up over a bowl of fries.

六. Last week’s WFH lunch of filled pasta and pesto. Sometimes it’s a fancy lunch, other times it’s comfort first.

七. Taking a moment, last Saturday night, to soak in how incredible it was to see The O2 Arena packed with fellow millennial S Club fans and knowing every last word and dance move. My heart felt so full seeing them with my sister!

八. Lo-fi afternoons while I tinker away at my latest studies.

九. Our family day at Battersea Power Station. We brought Milo along (he loves London!) and had a wonderful time visiting my brother and his fiancée at their new home, picking up lunch from BAO and then grabbing nasi lemak from Roti King for Dad, who is very homesick these days.

十. 1989 (Taylor’s Version) day, which was a moment of healing for me.

What are some small joys from your life lately?