A Moment of Vanity

 

 

After my Mom passed away I have spent a lot of time reflecting on our relationship – we are mother/daughter, soul sisters, best friends, traveling companions & adventurers, creative floral designers, spiritual seekers, and new recipe testers. The list could go on and on… I’ve started to find ways to feel close to her – talking quiet afternoon walks, slowing down enough to feel the warmth of the sun on my face, spending time in the garden, making beloved family recipes, seeking spiritual truths, and creating a precious little vanity nook in my bedroom. And so began a new morning tradition of starting my day thinking of her and giving gratitude for the love we have for one another.

The vanity gave me a place to feature a few of her things – a perfectly round rock she found at Pebble Beach in Door County, Wisconsin (collected long before removing them was a penalty), her favorite perfume (one smell and it’s like she is giving me a hug), a handwritten birthday note from her and my Dad, one of my favorite photos of us, a handmade whistle she purchased for my daughter on a recent trip to The Netherlands, and of course, a fresh bouquet of flowers. Hanging above the mirror there is a watercolor of my brothers and I collecting seashells painted by my Gram.

This vanity is so much more than a place to put on my morning makeup – it has become my recharging station. I start my day at this vanity filling myself up with her love which gives me a grateful heart – I then carry that love and gratitude with me throughout the day and hope that it blesses others, just as she continues to bless me.