Have One Best Spoon
Two months ago: I wanted to send our Airbnb host a thank-you gift for her hospitality. A nice friendship had sparked while I was staying at her bungalow in March, and one of our conversation themes revolved around coffee. So, after I returned home, I found the perfect gift at World Market: A set of four hand-stamped coffee spoons, each with a clever little message. It was so perfect, I “couldn’t resist” and bought a set for myself. I put hers in the mail and unwrapped mine. I typically leave a teaspoon in a (single) spoon rest next to the coffee pot on our kitchen counter, and so I thought these would be great for that. Only problem was, the spoon rest was meant for a single spoon, and I had four. Technically, I could’ve piled them all up, but it would then be cluttered. And silly. It was a conundrum. I had a devil of a time deciding which one, but I finally landed on “Perk up.” I also considered rotating them occasionally, but Perk up has been resting there ever since.
Last night: John and I were watching a drama based on a recent history true-life family. The main character—a billionaire and a father—was a man of fortune and power. In the scene, he was talking to his son about wealth, specifically excess. The point was this—you can can own many homes, but you can only live in one at a time; you can have many cars, but you can only drive one car at a time.
This morning: Listening to another Brooke Castillo podcast (“The Life Coach School”), her topic this time was “buffering.” https://thelifecoachschool.com/132/ She defines buffering as when we use an external or an artificial thing to change how we feel emotionally. Brooke does a masterful job at unpacking “false pleasures” (over-eating, over-drinking, over-spending, etc., etc.) those things that buffer us from reality, as she weaves in the whole “less is more” minimalism idea—teaching us to live a more present, authentic life. The physical items we clutter our houses and lives with are very much like the behaviors that start with “Over–” but I will leave it up to you to listen to the podcast. Her words are pretty brilliant and could change lives, and it may tie in all the points I’m attempting to make in this post. At minimum, her message is food and drink and spending for thought. 😉
Before I go, I have to include what Brooke says near the end of the podcast. You be the judge if this is coincidence:
“If you give up the clutter in your life, the overbuying in your life, you will be left with only the best things in your life. You will only buy the things that you genuinely love. You’ll be surrounded by things that are the very best things. Instead of having four spoons, you’ll just have one best spoon. It will be the best spoon, the only spoon you need and you will love it instead of having four that aren’t quite right. You will stir with that spoon and you will mean it. It will have a quality and an authenticity to your life that will feel different. That is my invitation to you. My invitation to you is to give up the false pleasures so you can enjoy the full pleasure of well-being.”—Brooke Castillo