45 Days

I am wearing red lipstick today. I have multiple red lipsticks, they are my favourite of lipstick colours. In a pandemic year, there are not many opportunities to wear lipstick; with the risk of stating the obvious, a mask and lipstick do not really suit one another. Nevertheless, I knew it was unlikely I would leave the house today, I have a new lipstick, and I love the mood boosting powers that are born out of painting your lips.

Earlier this evening I had a FaceTime catch up with one of my oldest, childhood friends. We were practically twins at primary school. Twinning, as my therapist referred to it, and we were lucky to have one another. She landed in my life without knowing much English at all, and there I was, shy and deaf, but both of us seeing a spark in the other. We created worlds together, a protective bubble that was full of love and imagination. As adults we have weathered ups and downs, each time growing closer. I have always been sceptical of those who believe that some of the great loves in your life cannot be the ones you have with friends; one of the greatest love stories I have is with her.

To have had that, as a child, and now as an adult, I know I am lucky. All friendships, especially the close ones, are special. The ones that reach back to childhood, yet still live on, are bright stars to have in your night sky. She knows who I was at the age of 6, and 31; she has bore witness to some of the darkest times, along with the brightest, and I her’s. Our hearts are tied together with strands that are hard to break, made all the stronger by the times we had to mend and pour undiluted love on the wounds. Her soul is one of the souls that mine dances with in unfettered, unbridled happiness when we are together. It is a precious friendship that taught me how to be a true blue friend.

There are 45 days left until the end of 2020. Halfway through November, halfway through Nano Poblano 2020, almost halfway – perhaps – through lockdown 2. I am struck by an urge to make sure that the embers of this year are memorable; to fill these days with all the many shades of joy. FaceTime calls with those I love, more progress with the biggest wedding craft*, cooking up storms in the kitchen, letting Christmas decorations explode all over the flat, more walks in nature, more wearing lipstick for the hell of it days, and counting the many small joys in my life – which is one of the best joys.

Every day this year, well, since November last year, I have filmed small snippets to string together like charms in 1 Second Everyday. In the summer I sent some of the lockdown 1 months to my Mum, and it filled her with relief and joy to know that the boy and I were fine, more than that, we were happy. It is going to be a particularly big joy to watch the whole year strung together, the months alone each make me smile. This year, full of big, oftentimes overwhelming things, still contained much to smile and feel joyful about.

What do you want to fill these days with?

*This big, big wedding craft will likely get blogged about at some point. For now, it is a huge work in progress – to think that I could have completed it before our wedding this year is classic Sarah**. Our wedding, due to have taken place in June 2020, will now be in June 2021 – plenty more time to get this big craft done. Silver linings.

**I have a habit of taking on ambitious, occasionally overwhelming projects. I sometimes underestimate how long these projects will take. This one was a huge point in case. Maybe I will learn this time. Maybe.

Throughout this month I – along with many others – am taking part in NanoPoblano, the Internet’s least-official November blog challenge. Click here to see the full list of Cheer Peppers.