I'm not one to cave to crowd hysteria and being swept along with the latest opinions. However, after watching a certain Netflix documentary - super eye opening - I have made a concerted effort to put.my.phone.down.
Immediately after doing so, five justifications roll out of me. I laugh and tough-love myself through that panicked impulse. No phone in the bedroom at night at all. No matter what.
A week passes and I am surprised at how little I miss it, and how much more awake I feel.. aware of my surroundings - the kiss of sunlight on my skin, the smile of the teller, the quirky off-beat sounds emanating from the bustle of people coming and going in the coffee shop.
Enter my reward - an absolutely beautiful (inside and out) real-life-in-my-hands hardcover coffee table book. Not just any coffee table book - @Restoration House Blog holds images that invite you to linger on each of them, soaking in every time-worn detail. And an unexpected surprise, shares a beautifully written account of a strong woman's resiliance, in the face of the inevitable burden of being.
I go to sleep at night reluctantly putting my copy down. I wake in the morning and find myself reaching for it, and not my social media feed.
The feel of this precious printed work in my hands.. the weight and fragrance of it.. the smooth dust jacket, the sound of the pages as I turn them, the sense that Kennesha gave this treasure personally to me... that, is the magic of books. The indisputable, stood-the-test-of-time, magnificence, of reading a real book.
The world we live in has changed so drastically, we are redirected to find solutions to our many needs here in our homes. Don't forget, finding a quiet space to sit and be still, is one of them. We need to carve out a sanctuary in our homes, one where we can soak up delicious things and restore our minds and souls.
Cover picture credit @magnoliamarket