Tea and Candles

So I was just talking to Laura on AIM, which was lovely, and one of the themes of our conversation that got me thinking was how the little things in life make such a difference in our emotional, mental, and physical wellbeing.

One big one for me is the amount of sunlight in a day. My mood is infinitely better and more joyful when the sun is in the sky. Days like today, when it's wet and overcast, are much harder. But clearly sunlight is beyond my control.

So other things that make a big difference. Anything that reflects Beauty, I think. Little bits of beauty scattered around your life that you can appreciate and that influence you. I just finished decorating my room and have my walls covered with postcards of Barcelona, family pictures, and quotes that I’ve been collecting through college. The postcards are lovely and inspirational, the family photos remind me of the beauty of having a family and all the wonderful memories we have, and the quotes are all beautiful ways of expressing truths about the world or the way the world should be. Some are Bible verses, some are from writers and such. My all-time favorite is by Jamie Tworkowski:

“We were made to be lovers bold in broken places, pouring ourselves out again and again until we’re called home.”

I also have candles, recently purchased from the dollar store and already much enjoyed. I’ve been lighting them in the evenings and they have been wonderful. I don’t know what it is, but the combination of the soft light, the smell, and the slight warmth make them inspiring, romantic, and peaceful.

And rituals I think also help our sense of wellbeing. Being from our family, we all know I’m very influenced by food and drink. I have a drinks station set up on my dresser that I’m very much enjoying. There’s a water filter that I pair with my new flower-and-butterfly-painted yellow martini glass, which I love and get a little thrill every time I drink out of it. And then there’s my French press and espresso pot, surrounded by my collection of teas and coffee. This afternoon I’ve been enjoying some of my Barcelonian tea: Jasmine Mandarin Oolong. It’s a lovely and light green tea, with a sweet scent. I added honey and am loving the sweet concoction. It’s also soothing my sore throat.

Yesterday I drank Irish Breakfast. It’s a much stronger, more bitter black tea. A barista at Starbucks the other day had told me that he often adds Cayenne pepper to his tea, so I had to try it. It’s spicy and great for clearing out the sinuses. I think it’s a nice variation that I will try quite often.

And then there’s coffee. I bought some fresh beans yesterday, French Roast, from my grocery. Looking forward to grinding them and brewing a pot. It will have to wait until I’m feeling better (a jolt of caffeine is not what I’m looking for when I’m feeling sick), but I am excited for it.

And espresso is a lovely late afternoon ritual and pickmeup. A nice little tradition that I want to more frequently enjoy. Also dark chocolate. I bought chili pepper dark chocolate and am really looking forward to enjoying the spicy and sweet.

Yesterday I went grocery shopping and then spent some time in the kitchen cooking poppy seed chicken. It was the first time I’ve cooked anything in the oven since I’ve been in the city. And it was so fun and refreshing. I wore my Williams Sonoma blue apron and whipped up a pie pan of deliciousness. Later I ate some with baby carrots and cherry tomatoes.

I think my conclusion is that having a peaceful, well-ordered space (clean and ordered being important detatils) with little bits of beauty scattered around it makes a huge difference. It helps us to enjoy the little good things in life and reminds us in small ways of the beauty and goodness of God. It takes our minds off the big worries we’re dealing with, or at least gives us a better frame of reference to face them.

Good books and music also help. And so I’m off to spend some time with The Black Arrow while drinking some golden-colored Jasmine Mint Ooling from my “Dazzling Designer” mug that Meg gave me for Christmas.