One Of My Favorite Books

A few years ago I picked up a book that immediately caught my attention at the bookstore. The cover alone was so beautiful that I knew I wanted to open it up. Do you ever see books like that? I did buy the book and read it from cover to cover. I do not know Jo Packham personally, but after reading the book realized that I would love to meet her. This book inspired me in a new way. I want to share some paragraphs from her book;

"What is it about these "extraordinary touches for the ordinary days" that makes us feel special, comfortable, and at home? Why do such special touches-large or small, obvious or discreet, exquisitely crafted or mass-produced, intentional or second nature-immediately convey a myriad of sentiments? Perhaps, it is because such thoughtful touches or tiny treasures invariably bear the stamp of the individual heart and hand that created and gave them away.

This is, therefore, why I am offering in the pages of this book a compilation of ideas and inspiration for decorating and creating special touches to teach others what to do, when to do it, and how easy it is to make someone you care about feel like everyday is a special day, indeed."

This is my very favorite picture in the entire book. I think it holds so much sentiment in it. It talks about the 97 year old great-grandma and her great-granddaughter. How it was not a special day, no one's birthday, no one's graduation, it was simply an everyday afternoon when two "ladies", who on a daily basis share little but who love each other very much, decided to dress up and enjoy a "spot of tea".

How special is that? I doubt that little girl will ever forget the day she had with her great-grandma, and will treasure the picture of the day, if not now, she certainly will when she is a great-grandma herself.

"showing someone the way...giving a helping hand...giving a hug, for no reason at all"

"It seems that putting the clothes away after they are laundered is a task everyone avoids. Why not put a note saying thank you and a treat for whoever takes the basket upstairs and puts everything away."

"Hang a hammock inside and bring the outdoors in for family members to enjoy the "calm and relaxation of a quiet summer afternoon" regardless of the tempeture outside."

I only shared a few ideas from this book, fully aware that some ideas will work for some of us and not for others. Fully aware that life is so busy, and at times difficult and painful, but that is exactly why we all need each other in one way or the other, and the little extraordinary touches to our everyday can sure make a big difference in this journey of life. I do think the blogging world has shown me many great ideas along this same line.

Thank you for allowing me to share one of my favorite books with you today, and thank you Jo Packham for opening up some new thought processes for me in everyday life.