5.07.2009

slow living

Emma Bovary are you out there? Do you remember her from your college reading days? (Does Madame Bovary ring a bell?) This poor woman was obsessed with reading romance novels and had a certain "romantic" vision of what her life would be like. When she married and had a child, she was immediately disappointed with her mundane wifely duties. Her disappointment thrust her life into a downward, destructive spiral and eventually death. Zola said: "Madame Bovary, c'est moi!" [she] is me!" Perhaps we've all felt like her--disappointed with our seemingly banal lives.

To me "slow living" by its very nature is anti-Emma Bovary. It's finding joy in simple, seemingly banal activities and moments: feeling satisfaction with cleaning a stack of food-crusted dishes; patiently listening to and actually enjoying a five-year old recount her fantasy wish-list for the tooth fairy; laughing at the sight of the three-year old sitting in the bathroom sink with a whole bottle of shampoo mixed into a mountain of frothy suds. (I had to work hard to smile and not scream at that scene!) Seeing this sweet baby peacefully sleep in her quiet sun-filled crib was one of those simple, magic moments that I will always remember. I had to share it with you too.

So be off with you Emma Bovary. You're not invited into my house!

33 comments:

  1. What a beauty!
    Her little sleeping form makes me appreciate the slow time too.

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  2. Beautifully said. I agree with you 100%.

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  3. Ooooohhhhh...this is a LOVELY post! So sweet and real and affirming.

    Not sure this fits in with your new karma, but I am hosting a fun fabric giveaway...

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  4. this is just what i needed to read write now
    so thank you

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  5. Take it slow, because babies don't keep. (That last part is from a poem by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton.)

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  6. thank you for sharing. I have been recently forced into stay at home mama mode and I am loving it! those peaceful moments make it all worthwhile, though we are surely happy to see papa when he gets home, too :)
    enjoy~

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  7. That is sheer perfection.............how blessed you are. Thank you for sharing her with us.

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  8. My two week old little girl is finally sleeping sound after a rough night. I SO needed this! Thank you!!

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  9. love the motto! maybe that will make time slow and take longer for kids to grow up.

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  10. Very well said! I love the Sugar City blog!!

    What's the news on the quarterly?

    Susannah

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  11. And smiling when the 2 year-old sticks all the new band-aids to the floor and his shirt? That just happened a few minutes ago.

    Your baby is beautiful. It makes me want another one. Well, if I didn't already have six ...

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  12. Beautiful post...and beautiful baby!!!

    I love what you said about finding joy in the mundane. That has been one of my goals this year. And I find myself getting better at it every day...it feels good! Thanks for the powerful reminder...and the image of your sweet sleeping little one.

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  13. love it, melissa!!!

    and love the expression "babies don't keep" from mrs. boo radley...

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  14. beautiful words and a beautiful photo!

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  15. so true. joy in the everyday. your baby is so sweet. i love peeking in on my littles while they sleep.

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  16. Nice reminder, I needed that!

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  17. Magic moments ! Beautiful Baby !!! xo

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  18. What a lovely picture. Your baby daughter is beautiful.

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  19. This baby is looking sooo peaceful and calm (in the picture;-)). I hope for you that time can stand still just for one second more....

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  20. Thank you for sharing this beautiful picture and wise words. You made our rainy cold morning into a beach day :), Klara and Sara

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  21. well said! oh my she is perfection.

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  22. What a doll...and you've been tagged!

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  23. She is so beautiful Melissa. How is life with four kids? I love the excitement of having a new baby. It is so much work but it is soo worth it.

    Babies grow up way too fast - enjoy her!

    xo

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  24. oh my goodness, she is amazing! just lovely!

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  25. One more thing. Emma Bovary did not have four kids. I don't think life is mundane with four small children. I can think of a lot of other appropriate adjectives but you are way too busy to be bored right now:)

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  26. so sweet! those moments are great.

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  27. mine either - love this!

    hurrah for motherhood, loss of sanity and all.

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  28. Well said. I love this entry.

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  29. What a nice sentiment - slow-living is the opposite of Bovar-ism. :)

    (PS: I think it was Flaubert who said "c'est moi" in reference to his heroine)

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  30. Thanks for sharing your insights. Beautifully written and a timely reminder for all of us who commonly find ourselves slogging it out in the daily grind.
    Your photo is a treasure - captures that amazingly tranquil moment in time. Priceless.

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