Monday, December 3, 2012

Wistfulness

{ Pretty pretty snow-covered Swedish cafe via }

I saw this house posted on one of Sweden's tourism pages on Facebook last week and had an insane surge of happiness. Cozy little red house in the woods with a little tree out front bedecked with twinkly fairy lights and a dusting of snow over everything including the quaint stone fence? Oh, yes. That is perfection. All that's missing is a plume of smoke from the chimney and a golden retriever tromping and snuffling about in the white poufs outside.

It's funny, just having a tiny window, a teensy glimpse into a different reality and you assume it's all perfect and rosy. Walking past a fancy home goods store (or even unfancy: I get the Gimme's at IKEA!) or browsing about the blogosphere or checking out beautifully staged real estate listings in foreign countries, you think: if I lived in that house, or had that furniture, or had that for lunch, or lived that life I'd be happier.

Is it location that makes things better? The unfamiliarness and promise of the unknown? Will I be drastically happier and more fulfilled just by going to a country that I think fits me better? Probably not. Whatever ails me here will just trot along across an ocean and end up next to me, right where it's always been.

But, that won't stop me from wistfully imagining up all the potential loveliness that may or may not come to pass when I take a big jump next year. So I present to you above: the Scandinavian country cottage of my dreams.

4 comments :

  1. OHH I beg to differ, I think location could really play a big difference!!! it did for me! and I didn't even move to a country with palmtrees. Maybe it's not about the actual "place" but it is about making a move to design your life the way you want, and THAT right there makes you happier. Because just think, I'm sure there are quite a few Swedish girls out there putting pictures of Manhattan skyrises and sighing at what their life could be like if only they lived in one of those apartments... isn't life funny!?

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    1. Agree 100%: "it's about making a move to design your life the way you want"...just moving won't do it, but making changes because you're inspired/encouraged by new place will!

      And yes, really funny! Especially since my own parents were kids many oceans away and both dreamed of coming to the US and now one child has left the US and the other is seriously considering it! :)

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  2. btw the blog is looking homier and homier! nice!!

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J.