Things That Soothe
When I started jotting down what soothes me, I noticed my list items were seasonal. For instance, a hot bath soothes me in the middle of winter while a cold beer on a northern lake sandbar soothes me in the middle of summer. To switch those seasons would make both experiences miserable to me.
However, one thing that soothes me to my core year-round is a good ole chat around the kitchen table.
Because now I have your stories with me & you have mine. We become gatherers of each other's battles won & heartaches. We keep them safe with gut-busting laughs over that embarrassing thing that happened last week. There's not much else that puts me more in the moment like sitting around a table telling stories does.
The Has Heart Herio Series I was a part of last weekend reminded me just how much this soothes me. Oh man, did we talk & talk & laugh & talk! These men & their stories are forever imprinted on me. Not only do I owe them for protecting my freedom but I owe them for breaking my heart wide open. & that's what is so beautiful about table chatter; you talk & you listen & you leave with a high yield from each other's harvest, full & renewed.
May you always sit long enough to listen, Em
PS: The background of this image is of the cutting board Joel made me because we don't have a kitchen table yet. I'm counting down the days until Spring when Joel & his dad start crafting our very own. It will sit in our kitchen nook, hopefully stuffed to the tabletop with laughter, card games & a full harvest. I can't wait!
Week 8/52 of the #52handlettered project with Miranti Kayess (formerly Pen & Peplum)
