I open the cabinet door and am struck by the blaze of the red-orange linen towel that had hung in my mom’s kitchen.
All the things my mother chose for her home as a young woman are vibrant, almost overwhelmingly so. The colors speak to a bright optimism. I remember some of these things like this towel, but overall my memories come to me in earth tones.
When did the colors fade for her? What caused the brightness to dim? Was it a sharp pain like the loss of her baby? Perhaps the daily demands of providing for so many children with so few resources muted the optimism over time. Maybe maturity quelled the enthusiasm of youth.
I take the towel from the cabinet and hang it in my own kitchen. Its vibrance lifts my mood and I understand what drew that young woman to it many years ago.
This is my Simple Moment for today. Simple Moments Make up the Bigger Picture.
Living intentionally helps my colors stay bright, vibrant, and secure. I believe that you get to choose the life you lead, and hanging up your mama’s towel as a reminder to stay positive is a fantastic step in the right direction.
Great perspective about making active choices about life. I think you are right that when we give up that power or let our senses be dulled by the constant onslaught of life that is when the colors fade.
That’s a great towel (not to mention, a great question) and I love that you have a small piece of your mother’s youthful optimism hanging in your kitchen.
Is that not a “mod” looking towel?! It just kind of tweaks my sense of humor.
Goosebumps. May our colors remain vibrant over the years. Beautiful. I love how you can write with such depth, with so many thoughts in just a few paragraphs. It’s really a gift. Your Bigger Picture Moments often linger in my mind for days.
Thank you, that means a lot as I feel the same about your moments too!
Like Hyacynth, I read this in the morning and my mind kept returning to it. It actually brought tears to my eyes, thinking of what you contemplated about your mother, and then pondering the same questions hovering over myself. I love your contributions to Bigger Picture Thursdays!
I love Big Picture Thursdays. There is such wisdom and grace in the posts each week. I look forward to reading what everyone has been thinking.
Oh lovely. This is such beautiful writing. The questions, the resolution…they all speak so deep. I love that you took a moment to soak in the vibrancy.
Thanks, Jade. Now comes the challenge of maintaining the vibrancy!
Wandered over from the Write On Edge linkup–my first time there. Your piece affirms for me why I need the color yellow in my life. I remember when the colors faded for my mother.
Beautiful. Life tends to do that to us, if we let it. I love red and I hope I always will.
Red is my feel good color!
Beautiful. It must be nice to have those reminders around.
I love bright colors, but for some reason I hardly ever bring them into home decorating.