Rearranging the Furniture
Ever since I was little, and got my own room at the age of 6, I have loved rearranging the furniture. Vivid memories of sitting on the floor and pushing furniture with my legs - proud of my strong legs the way an 8 year old can be, with no shame, no irony, just pure appreciation. I loved waking up and being momentarily disoriented - turning to the right to get out of bed, only to find myself facing a wall, spinning to the left to jump down into a new world. I loved the newness, the change of it. I don’t know how many times I rearranged my room, but I do know it was limited to a period in time - between 6 and 12 - because once we moved, I got a bed with a trundle and built in bookshelves at the headboard (which I LOVED), but which left very little option for new layouts. Or maybe it was simply that I started high school and left that particular avenue of creativity behind.
In any case, I still love to rearrange furniture. I still love the newness, the change. It makes me fall back in love with my home. I enjoy figuring out challenges - where to put this, now, which version looks more beautiful, which version works best? This is trickier in a small place - there are only so many options, after all, when one wall of the living room is all doors. And yet, you might be surprised at what you can come up with! This past weekend, as I was adding to the christmas decor (nice and slow decorating this year), I got the inspiration to move one bookshelf, and that has made all the difference. I created a nook (always been a big fan of the nook), and now, here I sit, nestled in the nook, writing. I love it. We both love it. I love the fact that now we are using the space better, finding more function. But also, or maybe mostly, I love the newness. I love the change.
Rearranging the living room is low-level change. It isn’t stressful, there’s no big risk. It’s the fun of change with none of the angst. Bigger change can be hard, and so we tend to shy away from it, staying stuck in things that no longer serve us simply to avoid the stress of change. But the truth is, things are changing all the time, whether we recognize it or not. So why not embrace it? Life is growth, it has to be, or it is nothing at all.
Remembering that I love rearranging furniture - have done all my life - is reminding me that I love change, I love new. It is inspiring me to embrace that change, even to seek it out, take the risks I am avoiding for fear of the stress, and instead find the fun, embrace the newness.
I think our love of change, of newness is, in part, why we love trying new “plans”, whether they are diets or exercise plans, or new morning routines. It isn’t necessarily the new thing that is giving us that boost, that excitement, it is simply the fact that it is new! The trick lies in continuing to explore what is new even in an “old” plan. In going deeper, perhaps, or simply looking at things from a different perspective. And even, at times, letting go of that old plan, going with the flow, allowing the new to enter our lives. Routines and rituals that no longer serve us, but simply have us going through the motions, not really engaged or stimulated, not present, how are they really helping?
I’m not advocating throwing it all away and starting anew at every turn, at every difficulty, but perhaps searching for ways to awaken ourselves in the present moment. Small changes that can keep us on our toes, proud of our strong legs, and waking up facing new directions.
