Definitely a NEW beginning

I remember oh so long ago - unwrapping wedding gifts of sterling silver and cut glass crystal.  I had 'good' dishes and 'good silver ware'.  I had table clothes and cloth napkins. I had a formal dining room.  I was given oil paintings and bought (strongly suggested) formal furniture.

When I lived in those days -- when I entertained in those days -- I felt like I was playing a role..... being just like my mom -- and making my father proud.

When I divorced my husband and moved on -- I still carried with me those standards of what a house should look like......... and I still felt like I was living in someone else's skin.

When I finally moved out on my own -- bought a little house -- all those 'things' came with me -- as did the mind set.  BUT there was a little thought that was starting to form in my head -- just a little wee seed of a thought -- I would dearly love to have a mostly oriental design in my house.  I added a piece here and a piece there -- they were barely noticed swallowed up by all that formality.

When I moved to W's house -- I added a few more oriental pieces.  In fact one room -- my room -- was allowed to be decorated anyway I wanted. And the garden I created definitely showed lines of the oriental.  The seed was growing.

When I moved from W's house to the apartment -- I tried really hard to have my oriental design........ without the formality.  But it didn't quite work.  Around the edges all that formality still existed.

When I moved this time --- I had made up my mind.  This was MY house!  I have grown so much and have been finding my voice... my strength... my style.  This house was going to be my oriental design!  (with North America comforts -- I'm old after all !)

Yesterday I was unpacking the kitchen boxes -- the formal dishes had already been given to youngest daughter -- the formal silver ware was tucked into a deep cupboard -- the crystal glasses and vases have been carefully stored away.  In their place is simplicity and minimization.  There is a chinese lantern (with electric light) ready to be hung just inside the front door.  My oriental village will not be delegated to a back room or behind the glass of a china cabinet -- it will be on a table in the living room.  There is no formal dining room -- just a simple dark wood table and two straight line chairs in white. There is a small simple set of drawers under the front window where my bonsai sits proudly. 

This house is exposing more of who I am than any other house I have ever lived in.  Simple lines .... a type of Zen peace.  It is MY house reflecting the new me -- a quieter more peaceful me.

And that is a very good thing!