On Gratitude

I wrote this about a month ago, but it was something I've been meaning to post on here for a while now:

On February 20th of this year, I checked out a library book for the first time since I was a young girl solely because of how broke I was. 

Not long ago, I came across an online journal that used to be known as andrewandcarissa.com (currently, seachant). The stories they shared of adopting their daughter from Uganda was what got me thinking about my life, and the way I was living it vs. the way they lived theirs--full of meaning and love. I thought this blogpost was an inspiring one, too.

I originally heard of Andrew and Carissa after seeing their contributions to Kinfolk magazine, and reading one of her articles in a past volume that deeply resonated with me. As someone who's going to school for graphic design, I’d been collecting magazines for a while, but never had I been tempted to spend $18 for magazine until Kinfolk. I'd been following Andrew and Carissa on instagram, but hadn’t taken a closer look into her photography + his film until reading this article on the Cup of Jo blog. Reading the article was a reminder to me that genuinely good people still exist. In part, each of the people and blogs mentioned above are responsible for helping me find my way in becoming an emerging artist with strong community ties.

Back to the significance of February 20th. I remember that day vividly because not only was it my friend Tom’s birthday, but it was also the day that Leon Johnson (our director at MSK / S & C) approved our proposal to start a Brunch Series in Detroit’s Eastern Market. After looking back to my school planner I realized that that was the day I had clearly written down to check out a book from the Detroit Public Library entitled The Practice of Everyday Life by Michel de Certeau, which Leon suggested I pick up.

Instead of going to the library that day, I got up caught up with celebrating Tom's birthday at a Thai restaurant in Eastern Market, a stone's throw from S & C. Embarrassingly enough, I wasn’t able to afford the full bill after my credit card declined. Though I gifted him this book, a handmade bookmark, and a few cake pops I had baked earlier that day as a b-day treat. The combined cost of those gifts was the least amount of money I had ever spent for someone I cared about, which made me feel guilty, but his reaction helped me realize that giving a thoughtful gift matters more than spending more on an extravagant gift.

With regard to The Practice of Everyday Life, I have yet to read the book in its entirety. Come Tuesday, the day after my school semester ends, I plan on devouring the book page by page. Leon had noticed that I checked out the book, which was over due at the time, and he slipped a copy into my belongings. This small act of kindness made my day and I couldn’t stop smiling when I told my two friends about how much that meant to me.

In all honesty, living more modestly and changing my spending habits has made an impact on both my attitude towards the value of money, and my overall pattern of thinking. It has forced me to be careful in handling my finances, and taught me to be more mindful. I’ve learned that setting aside a small amount for a few specialty groceries––such as a wedge of quality cheese and a pint of my favorite ice cream––can go a long way.