I learned the importance of blockout curtains my first winter in Chicago. Not only do they keep out the frigid Chicago cold, they also reduce the amount of light coming into my space thus aiding my ability to sleep without the intrusion of a passing car headlight, streetlight, or (if I'm really in it), to ignore the fact that the sun is coming up and I haven't slept at all. Basically, these curtains get the job done and I didn't notice how well until I awoke this morning, exited my bedroom, and found myself blinded by the amount of light pouring into my apartment. My blinds were drawn but through my kitchen and bathroom the sun was fighting its way into my apartment. I walked through my apartment, planning what my self-care performance would be today. I'm a little sore from all that yoga/crying from yesterday's performance of care, and had expected to indulge in a long bath (soon!) but the light was such a lovely distraction and I was reminded of Sherley's self-care practice, printed in bold in her email response to this project:
This morning's light. whether I'm home or not, my blinds and curtains are always up, allowing light into the space, feeding it that good energy, which extends me feeling good about my space and myself.
I damn near ran through my apartment, pulling back curtains and pulling up blinds in spaces where I rarely do (kitchen, my bedroom) and letting my apartment be FILLED with light. And it was so beautiful...so so beautiful. Such a simple gesture but its wrapping effect was immediate. Moreover, I'm not accustomed to leaving my blinds up when I leave my home, particularly if I know it is going to be a late night. When I returned this evening I had expected the darkness of my apartment to unsettle and scare me (I used to be afraid of the dark when I was younger), but in fact it was the opposite. It was actually so wonderful to be greeted by my apartment; it felt like a generous welcome---stepping into warmth and seeing my place for the first time all over again.
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