When I decided on a name for this blog, it just made sense to me to pair these two things I love, porches + pillowfights, to capture the nature of what I planned to ponder + share here. Articulating just why I love these two is kind of the purpose of my little corner on the web. At times, I have found it difficult to describe how I feel about our porchtime, pillowfights + along with many other simple trappings this life offers.
Until this past Sunday . . .
We were putting lights watching Ryan string lights on the tree — he does this so well!!– when we decided to turn on a movie. Initially, we watched Prep + Landing, a movie centered around two of Santa’s elves who are paired up to prepare homes on Christmas Eve prior to the big guy’s gift drop. Afterwards, as the girls raced upstairs for their nightly routine, I hung back briefly to see what Ryan + I could watch together later. The Sound of Music was already in progress, so as I tuned in, I realized they were about to sing “My Favorite Things” + raced up the stairs to share this moment with the girls + Ryan.
The Sound of Music is a beloved movie from my childhood for countless reasons– I recall the first time I screened it with my grandmother. I watched it many times with her though I rarely stayed awake past the opening credits- ha! When I was older, I can recall it always being on television around the holidays. It was this particular scene though when Maria, the von Trapp family governess, is interrupted during her nightly routine by the children –all seven of them– gradually making their way to her bedroom for some comfort due to a thunderstorm. In the scene, Maria teaches them a song to help them not be so scared of life’s little disappointments, things like dogs biting + bees stinging by simply singing about one’s favorite “nice” things. Here are the lyrics:
And whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things
Doorbells and sleigh bells
And schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver-white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things
When the bee stings
When I’m feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don’t feel so bad
The song is near to my heart for many reasons, but it is this scene that really captures the essence of a pillowfight for which this blog is named. Otherwise defined as a fun, spontaneous series of pillow-throwing that causes ear-to-ear smiles, giddy laughter + a generally light feeling accompanied by a love for life. A pillowfight like this one is simply, one of many things like it that possess the ability to bring joy in a mere mentioning. We each have our own “pillowfights” that we turn to in a pinch for comfort, laughter + they help us find a certain lightness about life. These things are not everything, but they surely point to the one who is!
If you find that your mind continues to wonder how “My Favorite Things” became a Christmas song in the first place, here you go!
May we all have as much fun counting our blessings (+ our many favorite things) in this beautiful season of Love + Light!
porches + pillowfights 