Where the clouds are....

The no-fuss, easy-peasy way to finding your space and enjoying your own little bit of happy.

Not to be corny, but writing isn't something I do, it's something I feel. Paragraphs pop into my head at random times - they ask to be brought to life, and, strangely enough, if I ignore them they become even louder and more demanding, taking up far too much of my emotional space. A bit like annoying children, they become less polite, acting out. and causing trouble until I stop, listen, and give them some kind of attention.

Which is what is happening this week - my mind is filled with topics, questions and observations, that need a voice and want to be heard. Some things, you would never want to know, but other thoughts I'm more than happy to share. Like right now - I'm sitting in my sun-room (because my home office has become, ironically, a real, working home office) sipping coffee with gorgeously, noisy rain falling onto the skylights above me. Privileged doesn't even begin to describe this moment.

The sun-room is at its most magical when it rains; defying the weather with its windows and warmth, I will go in there just for the sheer bliss of closing my eyes and listening to the sounds. Now, if it's warm and rainy that's even better, but right now it's a bit chilly, so I have a small heater on. Yet, even without this blissful room, I have more spots around my house where I can easily escape to when I need a few moments to be alone.

Because I truly do think, regardless of who we are, that we all need our little bits of space (both physical and emotional). Quiet spots where we know we can go to think and dream, or perhaps just to take a breath, be silent for a moment, and enjoy the wonderful, absolute joy of nothingness.

As you know, I'm a big believer in dreams (and never forgetting to have them) so anything (no matter how large or small) that nurtures, nudges and helps us to grow our own dreams is always a good thing. But I think where some of us get lost, is in thinking that dreaming is for the flighty and frivolous among us (which it isn't) and a space of our own must be planned, grand and perfectly decorated (but it doesn't). Two opposite thoughts really, that have learned to serve us very poorly in the current world that we live in.

In my design work, so many people tell me that they'd be that much happier "if only" they had a room of their own, or a larger house. This would surely, finally, give them the time they needed to plan and dream. And while these are both nice-to-have's, most of us have more than enough, and wishing for something else is just a complete and utter waste of precious time and energy. And, it also means we're missing out on all sorts of wonderful moments, because the most beautiful spaces, like life, are almost accidental, and certainly never perfect. In fact, some of them are just "good enough".

If you're someone who finds yourself waiting for the designer room, a bigger home, or the perfect time to sit down and relax, please stop. You may already have missed so many moments, and all I ask is that you take just a few minutes (maybe even ten or fifteen) to rediscover what you already have. Before I came downstairs, I lay on my bed looking outside for about fifteen minutes - watching the clouds and wondering what the heck I was doing with me and myself on this cloud-filled Saturday. It was brief, and I have to say a tad worrisome, but also extremely peaceful - just me and the sky.

You see, a long time ago, I moved my bed to a very odd angle, just because I wanted to be able to look out the window when I went to sleep at night, and when I woke up in the morning. It brings me peace, and I never draw the curtains, because I want the sky to be there whenever I need it. It's one of my places to go, and that fifteen minutes of cloud-watching, recharges my emotional, happiness batteries in a way that is blissfully indescribable.

Finding your bliss isn't about extravagance or perfection, it's simply about looking around, and finding your space....