Seasons 3-4 (2023)
“Write breathe on your to-do list.
Write blink. Write, sit and eat.
Then cross everything off.
How satisfying!
Give yourself credit for living."
— Maggie Smith, Keep Moving
(Be sure to check out Maggie Smith’s new memoir here)
While reading the Aesthetics of Joy newsletter called “What is cozy, really?” the author, Ingrid Fetell Lee, mentioned a book called Cozy, which prompted me to immediately go on Libro.fm and use my monthly credit based on the title alone.
After listening to Cozy, my definition of cozy has been transformed to mean “coming home to your mind, heart, and body.” Feeling cozy is knowing yourself intimately enough to know how to come home to yourself no matter where you are.
When I thought about what makes me feel cozy, what came to mind were the things that I find beautiful, whimsical, comforting, and inspiring. One step inside my office and you’ll know exactly what I find cozy: books waiting patiently on shelves, potted plants bathed in sunlight, candles, multiple places to rest hot tea, plush blankets, warm sweaters, delicate lamps, twinkle lights, natural light streaming through the window, and materials organized in easy to access bins for spontaneous creativity. Surrounding myself with coziness encourages my creativity and ability to tune into my nature and the nature I find outside my home.
Cozy can sound like the crunch of leaves, the gentle bubbling of a creek, or river stones tumbling beneath my shoes. Cozy can be a scent like cinnamon that awakens a memory or the mossy scent of damp earth after it rains that feels grounding. Sounds like birds chirping or kids laughing are cozy to me. A gentle breeze on a summer’s day or the way the wind gently dances with the wildflowers in a field can feel cozy. Low light or the presence of a fire can be so cozy that I can hardly keep my eyes open.
“To coze, in our family, means to get close, to make oneself cozy.”
Some experiences in life are not so cozy, but the author of Cozy helps us bring that feeling of coziness into even the most challenging of situations. If we remember that coziness can be something inside us or a way of being rather than a place to be or an item that must be purchased, we can find cozy even in unexpected places.
Get cozy in your favorite reading chair or your car and listen to Cozy in audiobook format on Libro.fm
This week I’m sharing a visual list of some of the experiences I find cozy throughout the seasons. Enjoy!
What makes you feel cozy? Please share in the comments section below this post.
The music featured in the video is Miika’s Journey by Lama House on Epidemic Sound. The YouTube channel I’m watching in my office in the video is The Cottage Fairy.
WEEKEND READING
“We’re here for a reason. I believe a bit of the reason is to throw little torches out to lead people through the dark.”
-quotation by Whoopi Goldberg and shared in Chapter 9 of The Violin Conspiracy
Sometimes we’re lucky enough to be born into a family that nurtures our passions and talents. Whether those innate talents are unearthed or remain hidden requires courage and hard work by the individual to persevere despite obstacles and biases when there is little support from a person’s family or community.
While researching my own family, I discovered my love of nature and language is a thread that is woven through many generations, and these passions have been encouraged by my family. I feel a kinship when I know I’m following in the footsteps of my ancestors.
I love reading about worlds I know very little about, like the classical music community. The main character in The Violin Conspiracy, Ray, is determined to become an accomplished violinist after finding out about an ancestor who shared his love for music. Ray must follow his passion without the support of his family and overcome numerous obstacles along the way, including ever-present racism and prejudice in the classical music community. I fell in love with Grandma Nora and found myself moved to tears when Ray succeeded in his journey despite his many hardships and a difficult relationship with his mom.
When Ray began to play, he would see the music as images in his mind. When the music transformed into snowflakes falling, cherubs tiptoeing, light glistening off a frozen pond, and bare trees reading to the sky, the music was telling its own story, and he felt as though his violin playing was the conduit.
Ray, with the help of his mentor, found a way through the darkness. Rather than bathing in the spotlight he found in the end, he shared his success through “little torches” he gave back to his community.
Brendan Slocumb’s newest book, Symphony of Secrets, comes out on April 18, 2023.
I’ve heard great things about the audiobook version of The Violin Conspiracy on Libro.fm as well.
Be sure to check out The Violin Conspiracy playlist on Spotify by none other than Brendan Slocumb, the author of The Violin Conspiracy.
Enjoy this ASMR room recommendation that pairs well with The Violin Conspiracy with its late night NYC jazz vibes.
What’s my simple joy this week? A mid-morning bath on a rainy day while watching the PBS show La Otra Mirada
Purchasing items from the links below helps to support this blog AND some incredibly talented authors, illustrators, small businesses, and makers:
52 Seasons Libro.fm Audiobook List
I read once that if there is something that you want to do, but you're not sure how to get there, just begin.
Writing blog posts for 52 Seasons is a creative journey into the expressions that come from my heart: writing, photography, tending a garden, immersing myself in nature, reading stories from voices that need to be heard and sharing them with others, keeping a home, being an advocate and supporter of education and basic human rights, and sharing resources with others.
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