On Microjoys, Loss and A Sunset Yellow Wall
1960s Palm Springs dream home, anyone?!
Life is too damn short for subtlety and bold color brings me all kinds of happy.
My motto will always be Color. Color. And More Color. Oh, and toss in some pattern, too.
Coral? Or Sunset Yellow? Ah, color brings me such joy. In fact, it’s my current #microjoy.
…Wait, this ain’t a style blog? Why am I talking to you about my wall color?! Well, below is the background on microjoys. Get used to them because I’ll be spreading em’ around like confetti. Life is way too short not to.
[TRIGGER WARNING: Death & Grief]
It was a toss up between Benjamin Moore’s Orange Sky, which is golden sunset yellow or this gorgeous Sherwin Williams’ Bird of Paradise, which is coral.
I started posting on social media about my own micro joys after my nephew was killed on May 29th, 2020. He was 32 years old and walking to a friend’s house on a Friday evening. This happened to be the exact same weekend that the world experienced a (long overdue) racial uprising. As many were out protesting Black Lives Matter, my Black nephew was killed. And though it wasn’t directly related, Black lives are often interconnected and teeming with societal breakdown. So yeah, there’s that.
Life has since compounded that grief in many other ways, too.
My beloved mom passed away only 4 months after my nephew on September 22, 2020. We spoke at least 4 times a day for as long as I can remember. Mother loss is a topic you’ll hear about a lot from me.
And then, because 2020 is an asshole; in November, a beloved (48 year old) family member had a stroke , only weeks after Mama Shelley passed away.
I don’t know what life has in store for me or us, collectively. But these #microjoy musings are my way of deeply feeling into grief while recognizing that joy still exists. These are often mundane thangs that don’t change the raw truth that my nephew and my mama are no longer here. Nor does it change that they pop into my mind at the strangest moments (like while unpacking) and I find myself crying while doing everyday things, like ordering a buttered roll at Quick Check, for example. (True story, BTW.)
These joys simply allow me to keep moving and keep living, well.
But alas, this is life. And. But. Always.
Let us come back to color, shall we?!
Benjamin Moore’s sunset yellow color wins. The actual name of the color is Orange Sky by Benjamin Moore.
The living room reveal and my fave color at the moment is this bold color of a gorgeous sunset. Because for fuck’s sake, we can all use more sunshine and happiness. Am I right?!
My microjoy (#11) is this fabulous wall color that my husband painted THREE coats of. Eventually artwork will be added for a salon wall… but one step at a time. Because life right now.
In the meantime, cheers to yellow sunshine, marigold walls and all of the brightest sunburst colored stars in the sky, friends.
And. But. Always.
All of it.
With love, wisdom [and small mercies] from Montclair. xx
