Sanctuary at Home

Seriously, how are you doing? I know I have not been myself given the spread of COVID-19. My mind is wandering and thinking a lot of "what if" and "when it's over." I imagine most of us are thinking this way. I'm finding it hard to concentrate and meet deadlines. Difficult to complete my daily tasks without my mind drifting away 100 times.

 

If you follow us on Instagram you might have noticed that I am posting a lot of garden and flower images. It's been a useful tool to help me navigate the stress and worry. It's a mindless task and allows me to steal a few moments of distraction to look at beautiful things. It might seem silly to some, but when is admiring beauty and rebirth a silly or wasteful thing?

While searching for and sharing all these beautiful garden images, my mind did start to wander to my apartment and the sweet garden courtyard I look out on. I wonder if I'll ever get in to that Art Deco one bedroom that is waiting for me. Longing to have life in it again. I have no idea when they will let my contractors in. And this is absolutely for everyone's benefit. I am in no way complaining or disapproving of what needs to be done for everyone's health and safety. But I am a bit sad and longing to be in my own little apartment, settling in, building a new routine and rhythm. Enjoying my new kitchen and bathroom. Unpacking boxes and styling each room with the love and attention they deserve.

We're all practicing social distancing and for some that means being in a home with a yard and for some it means a window to the outside world. But for all of us it means making our home a sanctuary. A safe place in health, mind, and spirit. I imagine in my new apartment that I'll have a little "zen den" where I can practice meditation. I can see myself reaching into a beautiful antique Swedish cabinet I use as a pantry to make dinner. The cabinet is so very far away, still in Texas waiting to be shipped when it's safe. I can see the pale grey and lavender and lilac colors I always decorate with. I imagine that as I get to know this new space I'll find new uses for old things. I'll find some things no longer serve a purpose and I need to find a better option to fill that need. I'll find that I've grown tired of something and look to find something that creates the sanctuary I so desperately need in my home.

At the moment I am in isolation in a small town in Westchester, NY. The house has a large yard with a view of a horse farm and a beautiful garden along the back of the house. While I long for warmer days and spring I'm thinking of ways to design the garden and mentally going through all the garden items we have in the warehouse. What tables and chairs can I bring out there to create a feeling of safety and warmth? What garden ornaments will make me smile when I look at them? Right now all I can think about is turning isolation into sanctuary.

Stay safe and be healthy.

xoxo, Margaret