Ed. Note: Today, I am republishing a musings originally published in January 2019. I think about this post and the practice of observing when golden moments are at hand all the time. Another pathway to gratitude.
One of my all-time favorite comments from a reader came in response to one of my all-time favorite memories: observing Mr. Magpie over a languid birthday dinner and realizing that he had — and I thought of the phrase in French first, as there is no better way to put it — returned to himself after a tumultuous year or two. One of my Magpies had this to say:
‘My best friend and I call those “golden moments.” The ones that feel so full and true that they keep you warm your whole lifetime.”
Oh!
Yes.
I have been thinking about golden moments ever since — returning to ones I love, preserving them in a kind of makeshift order, burnishing them.
Another: rolling pasta with my sisters in our petite apartment in Manhattan, doubled over with laughter over — nothing. The inanities of sisterly friendship, the warmth and ease of the evening, the utter lack of pretense.
Another: fat tears rolling down my cheeks the first day I returned from the hospital with mini. My mother had folded down the sheets of my bed in anticipation of my arrival. The narrowness of this loving gesture against the big, ineffable that of new motherhood, overwhelmed me to the point of tears. My mother looked up. “What is it?” “I don’t know. I’m just…overwhelmed.” She came around the side of the bed, gathered me up in her arms, and held me like I was a baby while I cradled my own. Three generations of loving women.
Another: unanticipated tears of gratitude on Thanksgiving day for friendship in a world where many walk alone. (Incidentally, a few dozen of you have written to say that you’ve adopted this lovely prayer for your own families and I could not be happier.)
Another: Mr. Magpie’s face when he found out we were having a boy. I will never forget his red-rimmed eyes, wide with surprise and something else — excitement? — or the way I tried to momentarily distract myself, pull myself together, by focusing intently on the screen in front of us in that dark room as the technician performed the sonogram, before I thought: “But why?” and locked eyes with him and cried. And then after the technician had left the room, sitting down on his lap in a long, quiet, happy embrace.
So many golden moments from the past year to be grateful for, and I was thinking about them with particular intentionality as I listened to Kasey Musgraves’ “Golden Hour” song while cooking a few recipes from my new favorite cookbook (she does not shy away from bold flavors and I love her for that — I made her glazed chicken wings, coconut rice, and slaw and all were delicious) the other day:
“All that I know
Is you caught me at the right time
Keep me in your glow
‘Cause I’m having such a good time
With you
Baby don’t you know?
That you’re my golden hour
The color of my sky
You’ve set my world on fire
And I know, I know everything’s gonna be alright...”
What are your favorite golden moments from recent memory — or even golden hours?
Post-Scripts.
Shopping Break.
+A great Old Navy find. We love gauze!
+Crewcuts has some adorable new finds for girls — love these shorts and this block-print sweatshirt. My daughter loves graphic tees right now, and I don’t hate J. Crew’s — this and this are cute!
+Fun summer party dress.
+Just a reminder that this is THE best facial cotton. Will take your makeup/skincare routine up a level. Soft, plush, perfection.
+Tuckernuck has so many cute summer blouses.
+Tempted by these Emerson Fry patterned pull-on pants.
+Cute workout shorts for your man, on sale.
+Caitlin recently shared these cute Lacoste sweatshirts and I’m eyeing one for my son now!
+These Pippa Holt caftans are #goals. I saw a mom wearing one at the pool last week — SO chic.
+These trays are just the best way to stow jewelry. They really help me keep everything organized and untangled! I keep mine in a stack!
+Less expensive take on the rechargeable stick lamps I mentioned last week!
+Crushing on the jewelry from Aliita at the moment – especially this little shell and this little mushroom. So fun and whimsical.
+Cheerful dress — like a popsicle!