Reading into Things

I try to be intentional with gratitude every day, but today, my gratitude meter has been hovering even higher than usual. Yesterday (on Christmas Day) I enjoyed family, food, and a fun gift exchange.

Even cleaning up and putting things away is fun after a day like yesterday. I'm thankful. And today I want to share a great gift I received. 

I personally love picking things out for loved ones throughout the year (as my budget allows) and putting them aside for Christmas. I usually include something they've had their eye on, and we end up with a "gift bundle" for each person. But for me, they usually just ask what I want, lol. 

My own wishlist had about 5 items, and I received them all. One of them was a specific book I had been wanting to add to my library. 

my messy library

Last year I told my dad I was interested in reading the book "Atomic Habits". He happily provided. This year, I mentioned (okay, emailed a direct link to) another book that I've been wanting to add to my collection. 

Again, he delivered. The book is beautiful, and I'm looking forward to curling up with a cup of tea or a glass of Bailey's and this unique work on one of these rainy winter nights. 

The book is called "The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows". It's an interesting collection of words created by the author to fit (until recently undefined) emotions and occurrences one experiences in life. The words and their descriptions make you realize how alike we all are on a very basic level. How many hard-to-explain emotions we experience. And some of these words are now gaining traction and are being used in everyday conversations. Being a self-proclaimed "word nerd", I find this book intriguing.

 

To wrap up this wordy ramble, an excerpt: 

bye-over

n. the sheepishly casual vibe between two people who've shared an emotional farewell but then unexpectedly have a little extra time together, wordlessly agreeing to pretend that they've already moved on. 

My example: a goodbye hug with loads of fuss and maybe even tears. Then having to wait for an elevator or cab before you can actually leave each other's presence. 😂

The book also contains relatable writings and interesting images... 

Ah well, it's not everyone's cup of tea. But the point is, yesterday was great. And I'm expecting it to set the tone for new year's and 2024! The end. ¤

P.S. Happy Holidays!