Most of us probably think that we’re rather good at giving ourselves a treat. A glass of wine here, a slice of cake there, and a darling little notebook somewhere in the middle.
But how good are you are really at treating yourself? Do you savour the taste of the cake? Or gulp it down in a guilty fashion?
And what about the notebook? Do you sit down, uninterrupted to make acquaintance with its fresh pages? Do you see how your favourite pen performs on its pages and note the useful pocket at the back? Or do you put it to one side to enjoy at a later date and then forget about it?
The best treat
Stationery is a lovely treat. It’s calorie-free. It has the potential for multiple moments of pleasure from purchase through to each and every use. However, I’m sure every household in the land has lovely items, bought as treat, and then tucked away and simply not used. Letter paper and envelopes that have never been near a letterbox. Notebooks awaiting master plans between their pages. Pens with their ink slowly drying up. Stickers waiting for their moment of glory.
Sadder still is the stationery that is bought as a gift, and then never used. Not, I hasten to add because the recipient doesn’t like it, but because they think it is too precious for everyday use. So it is saved for a special occasion that simply never comes. Now to my way of thinking this is a double pity. the person who bought it as a gift surely liked it but felt that they could not buy it for themselves. Instead, they bought for a friend and the world still waits for those cute note cards, or that racy pink notebook to be shared.
So I implore in the weeks ahead to do the following:
- Dig out the stationery (or anything else) that you are saving for best and put it use.
- Savour the moments of pleasure. Squeeze every drop of delight you can out your treat.
- Buy lovely things for yourself, not just for someone else
And finally, write a letter to a friend this week. There is no finer treat than receiving a letter. Enjoy knowing that you’ve made someone else’s day.