The Pillowbook of Prudence
As new subscribers may not know, I just want to explain what the pillowbook is. Last year I read an ancient Japanese journal entitled The Pillowbook of Sei Shonagon. It was filled with observations, witticisms, self-denigration and acerbic comment. Thus I decided to create my own journal for the blog and you’ll see it pop up every now and then. Really it’s just a bedtime diary …
On being grateful:
A friend wrote to me yesterday and I was struck by a small paragraph in her letter where she observed how she felt about exactly where she was in her life. It was filled with such gratitude and contentment and it prompted the idea of this latest Pillowbook entry.
Being grateful for the day takes effort and observation. It can be easily swamped by the negatives and each evening I take a pen (one of my favourites) and I open a tiny (red) notebook. I jot down five things for which I can be grateful. This habit began a number of years ago when Oprah Winfrey whom I admire greatly, talked about the need to recognise the gifts in any one day.
The obvious ones are always family, dogs and friends so I try not to jot those down. I make myself look further and examine things in more detail.
This is what today produced:
1. The most wonderfully heartwarming comment on my fan-fiction novel “Gisborne’ and new subscriptions to the blog from all across the world and the evident friendship involved in that.
2. Being in ‘House’ (the cottage),
'House...and I have a realtionship.'
because ‘House’ and I have a unique and close relationship, it being my healing place as well as my spiritual and creative space.
3. The Wonder Dog being so renewed and revived. (I had to include this, even though it was about a dog, but the Wonder Dog has been terribly below par and ill)
'The Wonder Dog revived...'
4. Hearing the waves breaking.
5. Feeling utterly content with my life.
It is enough to list five perfect ones than ten mediocre. Better that the day passes with a half-full glass than a half-empty one.
And because it is a Pillowbook Day, it’s important to mention colour and life. I will not wear black, as you all know by now. Instead I shall wear a white polo-shirt and denims. It is more redolent of summer than the black that stalks the city streets day in, day out seasons not withstanding, and it is much more in keeping with me and what I represent to myself.
And as I walk the dogs on the beach, I shall take note of the waves as they wash over my feet and I shall beach-comb for shells and if I am really lucky, I shall swim and listen to the voices of the undersea creatures. A day for gratitude.
Oh boy, do I need to get a little red notebook.
I wondered where all that serenity of yours came from.
“Being grateful for the day takes effort and observation”
Point taken and engraved on brain…
Thank you for sharing this…
A pleasure, Giselle. I’m one of those who can get lost in the dramas of life and I find the ‘five things’ ground me at night and helps me finish a day on a good note.
What fabulous surroundings your house has! And you are near the sea too…
I often do Three Good Things of an evening, particularly after a difficult day; thinking of three good things (duh) that I am grateful for that day, however small. It works, especially when accompanied by a glass of wine, I find :o)
Hi Lexi! House is wonderful, very quirky inside: all up and own and in and out and built by a couple who lived in Cornwall and Sweden, so its built to capture the light. It’s only 2 bedrooms and has a kitchen like a 50’s boat galley.
We are very fortunate as it is our beach cottage (others may call it a weekender but we spend much more than weekends in it)and at night I get to hear the waves as I’m going to sleep and when I’m sitting at the desk writing, the windows open so that the seabreeze blows straight in.
I would think that at the moment, with REMIX selling so well on Kindle on Amazon.co.uk, that you are regularly listing far more than 3 things each day, wine or no wine. fancy being mentioned by the TIMES no less! My Kindle arrived on Tuesday and when I set it up this weekend, REMIX will be the second title I buy. Ann Swinfen’s The Anniversary was the first.
Such a great point about gratitude–each day brings gifts, and as recipients, we should be thankful. And I love that your dog is Wonder Dog–I knew another Wonder Dog once, named Sparky. Sparky the Wonder Dog. I’m glad yours is feeling better!
Hello Rowenna,
I know Wonder Dog is not original, but as an owner also of mad Jack Russells, this Border Collie is perfect in every sense, but especially his manners. The Wonder Dog titled came from his work with my husband in the paddocks. OH could stand at the gate and WD would run off over the paddock and without OH whistling or calling any commands, WD would bring in a mob of sheep, right through the gate and to wherever OH wanted them!
Now sadly he is almost completely blind and is stone-deaf and has severe arthritis from his years as a working dog. That we can keep him pain-free is vital, other than that, he has an internal map of familiar ground and trots around as if he is fully-sighted. We adore him!