Here we are in October – the days and nights are starting to draw in, the maples are turning brilliantly red, the occasional cold rains have arrived, and fall events are in full swing.
I’m feeling more settled in my new place, and between commutes and running and cooking dinner, I finally had a bit of time to note what’s saving my life now:
- Sunflowers, at home and at work. I love their cheerful faces, and they remind me of that Mary Oliver poem.
- My new Rebel Alliance logo earrings. I am not a hardcore Star Wars geek, but I am a diehard Leia Organa fan. These earrings are sterling silver, subtle and badass, and I love them.
- Birchbox, which I tried thanks to a recent Cup of Jo post. Getting a few colorful boxes of samples in the mail has felt indulgent and also nourishing, somehow.
- My brand-new travel mug from my friends at Obvious State, who make the best literary swag.
- Trader Joe’s essentials: crumbly English cheddar, bags of tiny mandarins, Greek yogurt by the tub, peanut-butter-filled pretzels, and smiles from the staff.
- Texts from my girlfriends (always) and getting to hug a few of them (local and far-flung) in person.
- A few recent visiting artist events at Berklee, where I work – I get to listen to fascinating, intelligent, talented, kind folks like rapper Dessa and film composer Pinar Toprak sharing their wisdom with our students.
- A trip to my beloved florist the other day, for the first time in weeks. I caught up with my people and bought some scarlet tulips tipped with gold.
- Jen Lee’s Morning, Sunshine videos – doses of kindness and wisdom twice a week. Go check out the series on YouTube.
- The music of the Highwomen.
- Sunshine on my shoulders, especially when I take my laptop to the plant-filled conference room at work.
- Chai from the BPL cafe – best in Back Bay.
- Poetry, including a whole slew of new-to-me gems via poet Maggie Smith.
- The quilt my friend Carol made for me, so good for snuggling under on these chilly nights.
- Ginger peach tea and Earl Grey in the mornings, spiced black tea in the afternoons, peppermint tea or pumpkin spice rooibos at night.
- Rereading The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets, a longtime fave.
What’s saving your life these days?
cakes, tea and dreams 
Well, reading nice people like you (and great life-saving links!) is one thing saving my life these days. Admiring Fall’s brilliant, suddenly-red trees is another, as is watching squirrels carefully bury acorns they’ll probably forget about. And coffee. Coffee, coffee, coffee!
All good things!
Putting my scattered concrete mind down in abstract paintings
Reading, reading, reading
The sunshine and warmish temps that appear after the morning fog and high 30’s temps disappear
The LEAVES!
Excedrin
Did I mention painting? I want to put an example here but I can’t figure out how to add a photo to comments…….but, wait! here’s an example at the top of this post: http://graciewilde.com/2019/10/13/unexpected-things/
The secret keeper in my life
Reading (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3011665180)
the beach
Love this list.
As usual, I loved your thoughtful post and it inspired me to offer my own list.
Currently saving my life this fall:
My journal and the refuge it offers me for purging unkind thoughts I don’t want to speak and need to get off my chest.
Magazines about mindfulness, wellness and issues concerning humanity and self-awareness of our place in making the world better or worse by being better folks ourselves.
My husband taking exquisite care of me when I cannot do anything more to take care of myself.
A big pot of soup that doesn’t take me forever to make and freshly baked bread from the neighborhood bakery to go with it.
Switching over to a teapot for an extra cup of tea per sitting instead of just one mug (I deserve some excess in my life).
Being well ahead of the weather curve in time to finish the scarf I’m knitting for my husband.
Live music to lift me up and clubs that are small enough and have comfy enough seating that I can feel good about attending the shows despite my anxiety around crowds.
Friends who love me because of and not in spite of who I am.
Discovering that I can in fact write fiction and the escape it offers my mind, letting me dwell on plot points instead of problems and petty annoyances.
A loving family who live a long way away but who all text and keep in close touch.
The kindness of strangers that I receive because of the kindness I put out there.