I turn the slick pages, one after the other, my feet propped on the metal patio chair, chickadees trilling in the white pine. “Ooooh, that’s nice,” I murmur, gazing at pristine dishware, dazzling fabrics, glass hurricanes and smooth pillar candles.
Noah perches next to me on the arm of the chair. Together we admire the lavishly decorated tables displayed across glossy pages. We stop a moment on page 10, pointing to the sumptuous leather chairs and the rustic but chic chandelier.
“Wow. Now that looks just like perfection to me,” I say to Noah. “A gorgeous table set with beautiful dishes, crisp linens and candles, all ready for an evening dinner party. I don’t think it gets much better than that.”
Noah nods solemnly. I turn more pages as he walks inside.
I’m pining, coveting the opulence orchestrated so perfectly on those pages. I want the monogrammed napkins, the mercury glass votives, the plush throws. I want the Pottery Barn stuff and the Pottery Barn life, the seeming ease that comes with high-class living. I’m sick with envy over the fact that people I know actually own a lot of the furnishings and home décor displayed on these pages. I’m envious because I want to own it, too.
The screen door slams shut, and I look up from the magazine.
“Now you have perfection, too,” Noah tells me, stepping carefully over the acorns strewn across the patio. I lean forward as he places my grandmother’s blue Fiestaware dish on the green metal table. A scattering of scarlet, foil-wrapped Dove chocolates sits in the center of the dish. Delicate stems of burnished Autumn Sedum and golden beech leaves are arranged around the candies just so.
Noah sits next to me on a tipping metal chair, striped cushion faded dull from the burning summer sun. We unwrap the foil and let the smooth sweetness melt in our mouths.
I close the Pottery Barn catalog and lay it on the table, tuck my feet beneath the worn cushion and unwrap another chocolate. I smile at the boy next to me as a gust twirls pine needles from the tree-top to the leaf-cluttered lawn. A squirrel rustles his nest high above us, and acorns plunk onto the patio umbrella like raindrops.
It’s not Pottery Barn … but it’s perfection indeed.
Questions for Reflection:
What do you covet? Have you thought about what might be fueling that coveting? Is it envy? Resentment? Anger? Insecurity?
Edited repost from the archives.
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That is one special young man you are raising! wow. Catalogs do bring out the worse in me. Just when I think I have this coveting under control I find myself deep drowning in envy once again. Great post!
Usually when Pottery Barn comes in the mail now, I put it right into the recycling box. But sometimes I can’t help myself. I do love me some Pottery Barn!
You captured my heart with that picture of the chocolate. He is going to make some girl very happy one day. 🙂
Isn’t that the truth?! Noah is a pretty sweet kid.
Now that boy is sweeter than the chocolates. My, my, my. I am blessed.
Thanks, Lori.
Noah is one creative guy.To be able to see the beauty of nature and present it like that. I want him to plan my parties! He may be designing his own catalogs some day.
This made me smile, Pat!
Michelle –
That is just beautiful!!! You are raising a fine young man that will bless a girl one day. May God bring Him the perfect woman! Also a testimony to the mom that you are! As an aside, I have always admired the Fiesta dishes & have yet to own one:) But there is something about their simplicity that has always spoken to my heart. So thank you for sharing this post!
Blessings,
Joanne
I love Fiestaware. I only have a few pieces from my grandparents, and I cherish them. But I like the fact that they are simple – everyday beauty is my kind of style!
LOVED what Noah did. Perfection indeed. And a child shall lead us…
Thanks, too for the link up today, Michelle. Blessings…
That Noah, he’s a smart one – he’s always teaching me something about spirituality, faith and the important things in life.
wow wow wow, friend.
your simple story births a prayer in me:
Oh God, give me eyes to see.
thank you, Michelle. truly.
My prayer every day, Kelli. My kids are SO much better at seeing the hand of God in our everyday than I am – I learn so much from them.
Thanks for stopping by, friend.
Wow! Noah is going to make somebody an awesome husband some day! Yes, that sounds like perfection to me, too.
It’s hard not to covet those pretty things that sparkle at us from the world, but then when we get hit with authentic beauty like Noah gave you, that shakes us back awake to what matters. Love this post, Michelle.
I like the way you put that, Lisa – authentic beauty shakes us awake. Yes and amen.
They listen, don’t they? They pay close attention and learn from what we do, how we see life, how we respond. What a sweetie, that Noah. Like his namesake from over here 🙂
They teach us so much, don’t they, Gaby?
Thanks for stopping by today…
Michelle,
Can so relate! Just came back inside a bit ago to move the laundry along. Had been out on the hammock looking through Real Simple Magazine and envying all the pretty stuff! Thank you for the reminder that what I’d rather be doing is reading a good book with my grandsons out there:)
Gorgeous day thanks to a gracious God, nearly spoiled by wanting what I don’t need, rather than rejoicing over memories and more special times to come!!
Appreciate how you point us back to what matters.
Gratefully,
Katie
Oh Real Simple magazine is another of my downfalls for sure, Katie! And I feel the same way about my time online sometimes. I realize it’s not really feeding my soul like a good book or conversation with a real, live person would. It’s good to get that much-needed perspective shift sometimes.
What a precious boy! Somebody’s doin’ something’ right!! Thanks for sharing your blessing.
And thanks for coming by and linking up, Laura – I hope you are feeling better from your surgery!
So real so beautiful! Thanks for hosting your lovely site!
I had tears inside (the kind that are in my heart and almost in my eyes) when I read through to the end of your post. How special and better than any luxury that you might have desired. As for me? I would love to have my downstairs flooring finished whether carpeted, tiled, or painted. Nothing is fueling it except the memory of our old home and being ready for it to be done. Not yet. This post spoke to me.
I loved this — I have flipped through those pages enough to know that longing, but I know that those set ups in the PB on just that — stage sets.
We live real. You live real. Thanks for the reminder — as we both know what “perfection” is and it’s not from PB.
Hugs.
So precious!
Oh Michelle, I hear you Sister! Yes, I’m guilty of covetousness on a regular basis. And it is fuelled by insecurity. The insecurity that says I’m not as good as everyone else. Actually believing that all that “stuff” will make me look better and feel better about myself. Keeping up with the Joneses is just exhausting, and nothing more.
God bless your Noah’s sweet heart! What a wonderful boy! In his simple gesture, he reminded you (and me as well) of what really matters in life!
That is perfection indeed!
I agree. Who needs perfection anyway? I think of the Scripture that says, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” Yes, indeed.
You absolutely have a point there, I have never considered it like it like that before.
You make it sound so stirring. I am going to have to inquire
about this more!