The silence of being alone

Appliances hum and whirr and click

Fire crackles happily munching down on sticks of wood

Reducing what was once solid to ash

And the pages of my book whisper, as if loathe to break the spell

A cup of tea steams quietly

And I am utterly content

Time spent alone

Heaven sent

*Its important to me to have time alone. I’ve written more this week then in ages, because I have had that time to process things and refine my thoughts.

I spent part of the day with my family, out on site, cleaning up around the job and enjoying watching the men work together. They’re staying out of town, I came home. The house always feels warm and friendly rather than empty. More writing this evening. This small post for the morning, and continuing editing of longer form posts for next week.

A couple of my posts these past few days, have been out of my comfort zone, but they have triggered great conversations and new connections. Stretching is good. But this mid week ponder is a short, sweet sigh of contentment.

“Hygge is a word in Danish and Norwegian that describes a mood of coziness and “comfortable conviviality” with feelings of wellness and contentment.”

Wikipedia

You would have heard of the word hygge. It was trendy a few years ago. I had almost forgotten about it, until whilst looking for a recipe I found my little book of hygge instead. I’m so grateful I did, as it reminded me of the important role our homes can play in buffering us from the world outside.

Lately, I’ve been incorporating it into our home life as much as possible. Fresh baked shortbread has to be dipped in white chocolate and decorated with love. Incense and oils, candles and fireplaces in the evenings. Delicious foods. Long hot baths and soft warm layers. Winter is almost over, a few short weeks until spring. The icy mornings and stunning sunrises and sunsets passing into longer days and wildflowers. The wildflowers will be stunning this year.

It’s easy to get caught up in the turmoil and stress of life. It takes little to light a candle, some small effort to prepare a delicious meal and turn off the television, eat at the dining table with a vase of pretty flowers.

These days are our lives rushing past. Don’t forget to enjoy them.