Whether I’m delighting in my garden on a spring day or curling up by the fire in a well-worn chair on a winter evening, when I’m at home, all is right in my world. The days may not always be perfect, but life feels lovely anyway.
A lovely life: one that appeals to the heart or mind as well as to the eye.
Loveliness can grow in and around us wherever we are. Our days may not read like the pages of a fairytale. Our home may not be the picture-perfect one found in our dreams. Rather, a life lived with intention becomes lovely, blossoming one delightful moment at a time.
The rituals and rhythms we savor for home-keeping and soul-tending are as refreshing for our state of mind as they are for our home. They are like wearing a pair of proverbial rose-colored glasses. A rosier outlook won’t just sugar coat our home’s imperfection or make sweet lemonade from sour lemons in life; it will inspire us to frame every season with more gratitude for the beauty and grace already in front of us.
Even when (and perhaps especially when) there is a shift in seasons or in our own circumstances or the world around us, we can find our equilibrium in a familiar sense of rhythm and routine for our life and home.
Our rhythms empower us to design our home and life in more meaningful, authentic ways. The moments we intentionally elevate will nourish our well-being, infuse more enjoyment in routine household tasks, and inspire us to celebrate the sacred wonders and gifts of every season.
Seasons will come and go, but the life we create and the rhythms we practice at home become like an anchor to the ebb and flow, so we can find a refuge of joy and delight in the simple pleasures of them all.
RHYTHMS
Spring offers renewal
Summer offers refreshment
Autumn offers reconnection
Winter offers rest
Home*Making—Creating a lovely place to live.
Soul*Tending—Taking care of you and those you love.
The rituals and rhythms we savor for home-keeping and soul-tending are as refreshing for our state of mind as they are for our home.
***
Melissa Michaels, creator of the award-winning blog The Inspired Room, is the author of Dwelling, the New York Times bestseller Love the Home You Have, Make Room for What You Love, and The Inspired Room coffee table book.
The above excerpt is from Melissa’s newest book, A Lovely Life. Read more about it here
Leave a Reply