The Nests We Make

On Sunday, my son Gabriel and I stacked some wood that had been delivered to the house. As we were stacking, I recalled the big pallet of wood at our house when I was a teenager, which housed (my father discovered, when retrieving some wood) a nest of mice.

Maybe our stack will provide a home for a little furry thing, or maybe it will be a home for an array of spiders. Chances are, it will be some creature's new habitat.

With the onset of very cold weather, my instinct is to slow down, draw energy inward, and create...well, a nest. The other day, I sat down to write in my living room, and the whole setting just felt wrong. So I began to care for my creature self. I made a pot of coffee, I lit a fire, and I lit a pair of candles on the table I was working on. My drafty living room was suddenly warm, and light, with a freshly-ground coffee aroma.

I am remembering, these days, how much I am a creature, who needs basic creature comforts in order to be happy and productive. Warm lighting, snuggly blankets, a hot drink in a favorite mug. These are simple things, but they go a long, long way with this creature. Once I set up my "nest," I wrote for 5 hours straight!

The more I watch my own habits and the habits of those around me --including the mice-- the more I'm convinced that we are nesting creatures. Why not indulge ourselves in this instinct, as the mice do. I don't mean just designing a comfortable living room, or a snuggly bedroom, though that's important. I mean taking that extra little bit of time to tend ourselves in our spaces. To sit bundled in a warm blanket and listen to music. To luxuriate, over a hot cup of tea, in the comforts and blessings of a warm house on a cold winter day. To share, as we are able, our spaces with others. For this creature, anyway, these are essential things for winter happiness.

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