Open-hearted joys 開開心心 69

It’s the first ‘Open-hearted joys’ instalment of spring 2024 and it looks like I was really seeking out the new season. Winter was a real drag towards the end and I feel like I’m now defrosting, and feeling ready to be alive and in action again. A journalling session at the weekend highlighted to me just how much my apartment non-purchase affected me, without me realising, and now I’m looking forward to slowly testing out the property waters again and taking some important next steps. Also, do you like our new digs? I spring-cleaned Daisybutter and I adore her even more.

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. Spotting clusters of butter-yellow daffodils, roadside, as I drove to work through the country lanes. Then, blooming magnolia trees and cherry blossoms all ‘round town. A sure sign of spring! And so very welcome after a stretch of rainy weather here.

二. Girls’ dinners. Nothing beats catch-ups over great food.

三. How lovely it felt to step off my train in London after a good few weeks away.

四. Improving my running ‘skill’ with Couch to 5k. And my knee is allowing me to run!

五. Noticing how clear my mind feels sans Instagram. No unsolicited advice, no need to keep up with the hoards of instantaneous content, no pressure. I’m enjoying my break.

六. Belated birthday cake shared at the office with my wonderful team.

七. Loving all of the books I’ve been reading. 2024 got off to a shaky reading start, but I’m in a great rhythm now, and enjoying almost everything I’ve picked up, in one way or another.

八. All of my four-day weeks! I had lots of surplus annual leave to use, and so I’ve enjoyed an entire month of short weeks. To be honest, it’s been a great discovery and I’ll definitely be attempting similar for the next financial year.

九. Our date day. We went to our favourite independent café for breakfast, picked up sourdough from a local bakery, then popped for a breezy 5k walk. Afterwards, we finally saw Dune 2 at the cinema, before heading home to read our books and cook a delicious sesame teriyaki tofu for dinner.

十. The lollipop lady that I see en route home from the gym. In a world that feels like it’s changed irrevocably, I love seeing old school fragments like lollipop people! (Non-UK readers, these are people that help pedestrians cross roads!)


What are some of the little joys from your life lately?

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