CURIOSITY (Read & Reflect #17)

finding new ways to appreciate the familiar.

Mar 29, 2023

In the spirit of curiosity, would you be willing to give me some feedback?

My 20th Wednesday newsletter is coming up! My goal is to write meaningful content and because I can’t see your reaction when you’re reading, I thought I’d ask!

I have two questions for you:

Do you find my Wednesday newsletters thought provoking?
Are the read and reflect questions at the end helpful?

If you read in the app you can vote on the polls below or drop a comment. If you only read in your email, you can email me (findingtheflotsam@gmail.com)!

Thank you my lovely treasure seekers.

Think about where you spend the most time when you’re home.

Is it sitting on the couch? At the kitchen table? Working at a desk? In bed? I bet there are nooks and crannies that you prefer–that are your safe space.

When is the last time…

you crammed your body into the corner of your kitchen?
you laid flat on your back in the middle of a room and stared at the ceiling?
you sat on a closed toilet with the bathroom door open just to see what the view looks like?
you stepped outside and intentionally looked up, or down instead of straight ahead?

My answer–I’ve done all of the above at least once in the last week.

Just a nice snapshot of my kitchen taken from the very far corner. I got a nice view out the front window. You get a nice view of my shoe pile and dog slobber on the floor.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

Standing in the very far corner of the kitchen…I see a beautiful panoramic view of my front yard.

Lying flat on my back in the middle of the living room…I notice two small spots the painter missed.

Pretending the toilet is a chair and looking out of the room…I see the ocean.

Looking up at the tree in my front yard…I notice a crow perched at the very top and a broken branch stuck among its more whole counterparts.

There’s a few reasons for my oddball behavior.

Part of the fascination is because while this is the home I grew up in, I am forging a new relationship with it. Because I value the house getting to know it intimately is important to me. I also consider myself a curious person who likes to learn. Exploring all these new angles mean I get to research things like, “is this crack in the wall normal”?

Although I spent over twenty five years living here, every morning I am in some small way a new person and with it comes the chance to appreciate or notice something new. In a world that values shiny new things and constant upgrades, it becomes far too easy to overlook what is right in front of us. Every day there are abundant opportunities to practice exploring new perspectives and angles.

Try it and who knows, maybe you’ll find something magical from your toilet.

(also…in case you were wondering Google told me the wall crack was normal—so I’m sticking with that answer)

What is someone or something that you value, but haven’t viewed with
"fresh eyes" recently?

When is the last time you viewed yourself from a different angle?
Sketch an image or write a description of a place that is important to you. Next time you visit, compare your image or description to what you notice. What did you leave out? What is no longer there? What has changed?