Lessons from Persephone: Finding Rhythm in Everyday Living
- Clementine
- Sep 21
- 2 min read
words to know
aesthetic—a sense of value and nature of beauty
quotidian—belonging to each day
rhythm—regular, repeated pattern in time
commonplace topic ideas
• aesthetics of Everyday Living
• grief
• life cycles
• mythology
Much like yesterday, the morning bird chirps in the bush by my window. The wind whirs through a tree, and the first fall leaf drifts to the ground. The Saturday shadows crawl along my bedroom wall. The whole world is following a rhythm, but I just can’t follow today. I pull the covers back over my head, wishing it could be a blanket of snow. There’s worry the clock might just freeze, abominable as he is. I cannot do a thing.
My grandma once said, “First years don't always follow a traditional calendar year, Honey.” I like to remember her words when the rhythm of life inaugurates a new era. A tender loss, triumphant start, or unexpected move—the seasons of life turn, turn, turn.
Grandma’s advice led me to one of my favorite commonplace book topics: aesthetics of Everyday Living. I’ve discovered my days have rhythm (cycles, seasons, chores). My quotidian objects (hair brush, sweater, lamp) play in the orchestra of my rituals (grooming, prayer, celebrations). As I straighten my room or look back through my digital planner, a significant tenor calls from the recent past.
Sorting through my things, I start to feel protective of the work that actually takes place during periods of recovery, grief, or waiting. Not without merit, the time can be scraggly and lonely. Yet, the greater world continues to call, and I learn to see more functional beauty in problem solving.
Now, I love designing new ways to make my routines durable ferries. I’ve found game-changing adaptive tools (ergonomic workstation, lightweight vacuum, wedge pillow, non-slip jar opener, remotes and voice-control) to nurture a me-friendly environment. Right where I grappled, I plant rich strategies (meal planning, keeping a carafe of water on my nightstand, color-coding my tasks in my digital planner). I’ve dimmed the room lighting to cozy and upped the rose and ivy pattern I find so romantic.
Looking around my restored living space, I have an appreciation for the objects I use on a daily basis. Like Persephone in springtime, I begin to move through this world with joy again, delighting in the abundance I’ve found—beauty and meaning in my Everyday rhythm. If you are starting a new season, consider Seasons for LIFEGOALS™: Autumn Start Edition ($28.99).
