I still have wonderful memories of reading Louisa May Alcott's novel EIGHT COUSINS when I was younger. In that lovely book there is the description of a room that Uncle Alec decorates for Rose as a surprise. It is filled with shells, and flowers and books and all kinds of colorful things from his travels on the sea. I read that passage over and over when I was a girl and it brought me to my "happy place".
In A LITTLE PRINCESS by Francis Hodgson Burnett there is also a room with Indian flare that awaits Becky and Sarah full of mystery and rich color and wonder. And who can forget in THE SECRET GARDEN when Mary pushes open that gate under the ivy and discovers that secret place of loveliness.
It got me thinking that rooms matter........they calm, they lift up, they cheer, they comfort, they give sanctuary. I remember once having a wonderful home school mom over for dinner with her big family of boys. I found her sitting in a big velvet chair in my living room just quietly enjoying the silence and the halloween pumpkins glowing on the table next to it. I could see the peace on her face and this made me glad that she found that little gift in my living room that night.
I began to wonder: if I had a magical attic room somewhere what would it look like? Thus began a fanciful room in my imagination full of my favorite things. What would I put there? What music? What books? What decorations? It was fun to furnish it and whenever I read a wonderful book or heard a piece of music or whenever Creative Child drew me a picture, I would say, "Ah, this will go in my special room someday". Fanciful, I know! But a nice little game to play. Here are some things that I would put there.
The beautiful tea cup I found at the junk store around the corner
My collections of Dutch Wax china cups and tea pots
This tea set is reversible...flowers on one side and elephants on the other...
The Crucifix and hymnal cover from my Dad's school days in Quebec, Canada long ago.
My terra cotta angel on a piece of lace crocheted by my grandmama
My rosaries with a little bird reminding me to praise the Creator
The Liturgy of the Hours....flanked by Jesus and Mary
An old old stein from the mantle in my childhood home....another lace doily crocheted by my grandmama
Favorite books
My mom and her dear namesake, my lovely daughter
The Coat of Arms Creative Child drew for me when he studied Medieval times
The wonderful pottery that Thoughtful child made me long ago when he was ten.
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