Finding Your Chandelier!

Restoration Hardware Light Fixture in my Dining Room

There was not one feasible reason why I selected a chandelier for my dining room when I built my home in the fall of 2012.   In fact, there are numerous reasons why this was completely an unexpected choice.

With great pride that I had a down-to-earth – farming – childhood and even more pride that I have tried (successfully?  unsuccessfully?) to keep my roots firmly planted in the ground all these decades, I decided to place a chandelier in a conspicuously visible area of my main floor.

As my husband and I downsized – not once but – twice, I decided to use my ‘builder’s allowance for lighting’ in an unexpected way.  My family was in shock that I (The person who railed against conspicuous consumption – forever!) was adorning my empty-nest home with something out-of-character…especially since the rest of my home is filled with memorabilia from my sons’ childhood!

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Here’s my message to you this beautiful September morning.

No, I don’t think every middle-aged Baby Boomer should immediately go online and order a Restoration Hardware chandelier.  But I do believe that all women regardless of means and access should find something in their lives that sparkle.  That gives them happiness. That’s makes their day light-up.

In preparation for a book I am writing on Baby Boomers, I have been doing a lot of casual interviewing.  I have asked my fellow boomers from all socioeconomic backgrounds this simple question:  “If you could do one thing or have one thing that would make you smile and elevate your mood instantly – what would it be?”

Some women answered quickly while others couldn’t think of a single item or experience.  Others hemmed and hawed and changed their answer multiple times.  That’s okay, indeed.  But the greater mental exercise is to keep digging and exploring until you find that answer.

Joining a monthly massage subscription.  Taking a foreign language class. Buying a piece of Waterford for a curio cabinet.  Taking a painting class with a grandchild.  Signing up for a cake-decorating class. Starting a book club with a small, select group of like-minded ladies.  All answers are perfectly right and good.

So, here’s my challenge.  During this season of planning the perfect Thanksgiving dinner with all of the trimmings for a ton of your relatives and buying jaw-dropping Christmas gifts for everyone else, do or buy a little something just for YOU.  It doesn’t have to annihilate the family budget to be fabulous.

Even though I don’t know the majority of my readers by name.  Please know that as always, I am wishing goodness and happiness for you this 6th day of September.

Talk soon. Later in the week, I have another book to add to my Book List.