Like What You Like

Earlier this spring to celebrate finishing up my book, This Day’s Joy, I gave my studio a little bit of a facelift. The desk got moved closer to the east windows for a better view of the morning sunshine. I bought a new chair. New book shelves went up.

Along the way, some things got the heave-ho, and other things stayed.

And some new things came in.

At the local home decor store, I picked up a blue metal flower as a stop-gap to fill an empty spot on the wall.

Somehow–as flowers tend to do–it grew on me.

Now every morning when I walk into my office, that flower makes me smile.
 
For me, this is an example of what I call the  “Like What You Like” Principle.

This is absolutely not the piece of art I would have picked for the long term.  But I like it. And sometimes, liking something is all the reason you need to keep it hanging around. 

When I started thinking about it, I realized “Like What You Like” applies to lots of things in life:

• Listening to Jackie Gleason records on a turntable.
• Using salt and pepper shakers shaped like kittens.
• Drinking coffee out of a classic white Fire King mug with a Canada goose on the side.
• Opting for the eyeglasses with the funky blue frames.

Little things like goofy blue-green flowers may not matter to anyone else, but if they do to you–because they bring a smile to your face or a sense of lightness to your heart–that’s all you need.

So put the smiling frog pin on your jacket, paint your fingernails with stripes, or use the moose pitcher to pour cream in your coffee. What are you waiting for?