On peace and joy

and noticing the simple things

My mother painted me a holiday card this year. All my woodland backyard friends. It’s the simple things that touch us the most, I think.

A favorite writer of mine, Joan Didion, died on December 23rd this year. She was 87. New York Times writer Katie Roiphe said, “She managed to channel the spirit of the 1960s and ’70s through her own highly idiosyncratic and personal — that is, seemingly personal — writing.”

“You get the sense that it’s possible simply to go through life noticing things and writing them down and that this is OK, it’s worth doing. That the seemingly insignificant things that most of us spend our days noticing are really significant, have meaning, and tell us something.” Joan Didion— The Paris Review interview

I have a few unstructured and cozy days coming up. My only plan is a cold walk in the wintry woods, and then a reread of one of Joan’s books by the fire.

Wishing all of you a very peaceful holiday with many moments of joy. I’ll be back next week.