Patients and Pillow Books

When were you most happy? 

Now. 

When were you least happy?

Now. 

And what do you love? Say everything. 

Water. Fish in it. And hedgehogs. I love hedgehogs. Marmite. I'm addicted.
And baths, but not with other people.

Islands. And your handwriting. I could go on all day. 

Go on all day.  

The title of my blog is taken, obviously, from the above dialog
in the film The English Patient. I've mentioned here before that
it is my favorite film, and while most people find it dreadfully
boring, something about the imagery resonated deeply with me.
When I set out to create a blog, I knew immediately what the title
should be. But there is much more to this title than just a line
from my favorite movie. 

I've also mentioned here before that at one time in my life I
journaled almost obsessively.  My journals were always much more
than just chronicles of the mundane details of my life, however.
A person once told me,after being allowed to read, that when I
wrote I held back nothing, and that while I desperately tried to
make order of my life, my journals contained all my chaos. It was
true. Raw chaos, yes. But also my heart. 

Another of my inspirations is the idea of The Pillow Book.
I love the exercise of making lists and observations in my writings.
One of the first lists I composed in this journal of my heart was
a list titled, of course, "What Do You Love?"

I set out to say everything.  And when I began to blog, since
I have so little time to put pen to paper now, I originally set
out to do the same thing here - to say everything that I love. 

This is much more than just the obvious. I love my husband,
my son. I'm learning to love Jesus more and more. Of course those
will be topics of reflection here, hopefully more often
(as I'm also inspired by NieNie to grow and share a more positive
outlook on the daily tasks of being a wife and mother.) There are
so many more things on those lists, however; not so obvious things,
things meant to remind us of the beauty in life. So I begin now. 

What do I love?
I love a cup of tea in the morning.
Listening to the radio in the middle of the day.
Boys with blue eyes (of which I now have two!).
A meal outdoors. Warm days with the windows open.
The scent of Dove soap. Pretty pajamas. Farmer's markets.
New books. A massage. Pens and paper. The milky breath of a baby.
Sweaters. 

This is just the beginning.  What about you? 

What do you love? 

Go on...say everything.