Ephemeral

Ephemeral...you either know the meaning of it-or not. I confess until I looked it up the other day, I had a different notion of its meaning. It's one of those words people are afraid to use in a sentence, because it is harder to say than most everyday words. Also, it's meaning is so simple that the complexity of the word lends itself to a "hoity-toity-ness" people might raise an eyebrow at.

It simply means: lasting a short time; usually only a day. I always seem to think of food in some way when I write about ideas or memories. Like the time in Chicago I had a bowl of split pea soup from Smith and Wolinsky in 1998. I have not had a bowl of soup that delicious since then. That split pea soup to me was...ephemeral: lasting only 8 minutes.

In nature: ice sculptures, falling leaves or snow, icicles and puffy white clouds are ephemeral.

In media: brands, reputation, ideas

In art: still life portraits. These are one of my favorite forms of art. Famous artist from the past spent painstaking hours capturing a moment in time for us to enjoy. The still life to your left is obviously a contemporary work of art, but it immediately transports my emotions to comfort, laughter, even work.

Happiness is ephemeral too. It isn't a constant so it needs to be replenished. It is a "sensation which is felt by a person for a certain period of time before needing replenishment."

This is the perfect time of year to be mindful of ephemeral things. To capture them in our hearts and try to replenish them as soon as possible. I'd like to think we can be in a perpetual state of ephemeral-ness...replenishing that which only lasts for a short time, each day.

That might be hard to grasp, but if I can devour that cinnamon roll and steaming cup of coffee today and replenish it tomorrow...I just may achieve ephemeral-ness! So go out and capture the ephemeral things in your life today...a newborn's smile, a falling snowflake, a romantic moment, a memorable cup of soup...you never know when it will come around again.

Wabi

WABI means “an understated form of beauty, a quality of refinement masked by rustic simplicity" as defined in a book I just finished entitled, The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery.

This definition immediately provoked thoughts of food cooked simply. Food left exposed in its essential nature, only dressed to enhance inherent qualities-not to overwhelm or cheapen them.

Coarse-chopped carrots, halved small red potatoes, a triangle of uneven parmesan cheese and salmon barbequed with the skin on until crispy...this is rustic simplicity for the stomach!

My thoughts also lead me to interior design accents, understated and rustic. My new favorite candle is McCall's Country Canning - Hot Buttered Rum emanating warmth from a mason jar replete with metal handle. Wood furniture with divets and a banged-up charm allow me to feel as if I don't have to be too careful. I can just enjoy watching the elements of our busy life make it glow with rustic simplicity.

I'm sure that I've taken liberties with the original intent of Wabi's meaning...food and interior design are just material focal points that inspire me, but may not be what Japanese history scholars would assign to the definition. But my next point of reference may be something more internationally cultural, something a little bit more difficult to actually embody is...Character. If I may take further liberties:

What if we took the essence of Wabi and tried to make it a character quality?

"An understated form of beauty." Now for those of you that know me, I have a penchant for lipgloss, highlights, acrylic nails, handbags, jackets, shoes (and we'll stop there). Sometimes my mask is on so thick, I forget who I am until I wash it all off with Arbonne Creme Gelee. But even so we're still talking about things outside of character. Loud, brash, sarcastic...these things would not be wabi.

"A quality of refinement masked by rustic simplicity." When I relate this to quality of character, I think of an autodidact (self-taught person) who doesn't try to hammer people down with knowlege - they just love the art of learning...refined with rustic (natural) simplicity. Or a person with financial means that may rival any in zip code 98210, but who quietly observes the opportunity to offer philanthropic support and even down-home local service.

Well, I'm excited that the concept of Wabi has reintroduced me to character qualities I would like to work on. I'll make it a point to TRY and be understated and more simple, but for now I'd like to get in the kitchen for some rustic simplicity...prosciutto and coarse-chopped roasted carrots...yummy...