Ordinary magic

Over the holiday, I took this snap of my Mom’s pantry, complete with her Sunshine Crossback Pinny hanging on a cup hook, and it made me think of what Pema Chodron says about ordinary things.

“By taking care of ordinary things, we rejoice in them.

When we scrub a vegetable or brush our hair,

we are expressing friendship towards ourselves

and towards the living quality that is in everything.

This combination of mindfulness and appreciation

connects us fully with reality & brings us joy.”

Pema Chodron in The Places That Scare You

Joan (my Mom) is the OG when it comes to taking care of places and things in her home, and knows exactly how to make an ordinary moment special, just by adding a pretty cloth, or a flower in a vase.

A little while ago, I went to visit my parents, and my Mom and I looked through my Detaljer Hemma book together, enjoying the colours and details of the ordinary Swedish homes on the pages. And then, as we walked around her home and garden, I could feel how my eyes had been refreshed. All the familiar things in their home looked so beautiful and perfect!

It’s funny, because generally, I think that looking at the ‘ideal’ spaces in books / mags / insta could create dissatisfaction, but I find it can also help me see my own space better. The way others live and enjoy their homes gives my eyes inspiration to look at my own place with pleasure.