Today a lovely, amazing, wonderful human in my life offered to take me out for lunch. She knows I’ve been working on this no buy challenge, and offered it as a treat.
How could I say no?
I suggested one of our favorite spots in town: The Life’s Patina. I’ve written about this place before. It is a cafe and mercantile with the sweetest finds in town: decor items, gifts, pastries, and wonderful coffee. I really love being there, and it doesn’t hurt that the place is super close to our home.
When I arrived at the cafe, I quickly realized that weeks had passed since I’d stopped in. I usually bop over there around once a week, but it had been at least a month since my last visit.
The place was as lovely as I left it. They’ve prepared the shelves for spring with soft green mosses, mushroom paintings, and the brass woodland animal statues I find so endearing. They have decorative glass goblets in blues and greens that really make a table setting shine. A few hand-picked furniture items (including a beautiful tufted ottoman) are strewn about the place as well. I tried to buzz past all those items and ordered at the back counter.
The food was as divine as ever. Today’s specials included a mushroom soup, ricotta toast, and some kind of artichoke looking danish with cheese. We ordered zucchini quiche and the avocado toast, served with mixed greens. The food was cheerful and bright and delicious.
When I got up to leave, I knew the typical knee-jerk reaction I’d have: the itch to walk through the shop and admire all of the beautiful products they’ve hand-selected. I wanted to walk through that curated beauty.
But this time, it felt different.
I knew upon arrival that I wasn’t going to buy anything. So, I didn’t get attached or excited. It looked beautiful on the whole, but I didn’t allow myself to fixate on the little details: each of the items that made the space shine. I appreciated everything through a more removed lens.
The only other feeling I uncovered at the end of our lunch was my disappointment in not being the one to buy lunch. I LOVE treating my friends and family. I’ve never thought about adding that as an expected budget…but now it seems that it’s important enough to me, so why not? Creating space so I can gift others is a real “want” in my world. Now that I can see and understand it, I can make it a part of our reality.
What are you learning about yourself through this challenge? Share your thoughts, share your experience and as always, namaste every day!
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4 the Love of Peace 