An Inheritance of Small Things: No estate required.
What I Have Inherited from L
Most of what I know about how to live in a home, I did not learn from a book. I learned it by growing up in a house run by my mother, and by absorbing what she did.
There was no lesson. There was no sit down, this is how we do it. There was a woman who lived a considered life in front of me for thirty years, and I paid attention. Here is some of what I took.
Buy fresh flowers every week. Even grocery-store flowers count.
A house without something living in it is not a house. It is a set.
Real wine glasses, not plastic. Even for a casual party. Especially for a casual party.
Plastic tells the guest this is disposable. A real glass does not.
Bring a gift. Every party, every sleepover, every dinner, every visit. A jasmine candle, a bottle, Lebanese cookies, a small book that you loved.
Arriving empty-handed is not neutral. The gift is not about the object. It is about the consideration.
