Down To Earth Guide To Luxury
What does luxury look like to you?
It’s such a delicious word. It makes me think of things that are rare and rich.
Belgium Chocolates, Scottish Cashmere, a trip on the Orient Express!
The dictionary describes it this way.
Luxury
: a condition or situation of great comfort, ease, and wealth
: something that is expensive and not necessary: something that is helpful or welcome and that is not usually or always available
I hate to argue with Merriam-Webster.
But I believe luxury can also be a state of mind.
Some of my favorite luxuries are not only affordable, they are often free.m
- The luxury to say no. Simply no, N. O. without feeling I have to explain myself.
- The luxury to say yes…to what I enjoy.
- Quiet time each morning with a cup of tea, a scented candle and a book. I have a comfy chair in the bay window of my bedroom where I start my morning quietly and slowly.
- The luxury of cooking and eating fresh, organic food. We have a Whole Foods in town that I love to shop at. I know they have a bad reputation as being overpriced. I haven’t found that to be true. When I buy organic foods at other supermarkets, they’re sometimes cheaper but the quality is often, inferior.
- The delight I feel when I hear my grandson laugh. It’s a luxury and a treat beyond all measure for me.
And just to keep things real, these are luxuries I enjoy, that many women can’t have…at any price!
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- The luxury to come and go as I please. There are women all over the world who don’t have that freedom. They’re culture or religion, seriously limits their activities and lifestyle.
- The luxury of turning on a tap and getting fresh, clean water to drink. Fresh water is in short supply in many places these days. It’s at crisis levels in many third world countries. Many of us even find our clean tap water lacking, and drink bottled water instead.
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What does luxury mean to you?
Oh now, that is one cute grandson!
One of life’s luxuries indeed.
And I adore the bit about “saying no”!
xo
Thanks Pamela! I’m getting so much better at saying N.O. the older I get!
Another luxury is education. I am so very fortunate to have been given that, all my life.
And, I have to add here, for me one of life’s great luxuries is being married to this wonderful man for almost forty years! Yes, indeed, that is a luxury and I feel very fortunate.
You are a lucky woman Libby! Sometimes we take education for granted, but we shouldn’t because it is a luxury many woman can’t have! Thanks for sharing!
All luxuries indeed – my grandson’s laugh…priceless!
YES! My grandson’s joy and laugh light my heart a blaze, as nothing else can!
Jennifer, you got me with the Orient Express, and Scottish Cashmere.. how blessed we are.. you asked about my luxuries?.. grandchildren’s warm hugs, choice of good food to eat daily, love of my husband, and children, a cuppa chai, a comfy bed, with crisp clean linen, escorting new found friends on tours across the globe, India, Myanmar, Canada, Vietnam, having good health, and energy to appreciate each day.. oh gosh..my list goes on and on.. my pile of books to read ‘one day’.. a very comfy home.. a small enough garden to enjoy my gardening passions.. thanks for this opportunity to stop and realize my abundant blessings.. x Jean from Brisbane..
Thanks for sharing Jean. I love your luxuries! Is there anything better than warm grandchildren hugs??? I don’t know of it!! We are all truly blessed.
Oh so beautifully thought through and penned. I especially like your last 2 observations – for while they are everyday “items” for those in some countries, they truly are a rare and precious – or literally luxurious – wish for some in other countries.
Thanks Virginia!
I felt I was going a bit renegade with the last two for our topic, but I just hate to be predictable:)
I absolutely agree with Virginia – those last two stopped me in my tracks! Thank you for such a heart-felt post and I apologize that I am late in responding (we have had touch and go internet here this week)…
I do believe it is a luxury to live in the good ol USA. My dad always says we won the “sperm derby” with that. What I really consider a luxury would be having my own chef…one can dream.
Dreams are another luxury! xoxo
We are so fortunate to be able to enjoy these luxuries…I am grateful every morning when I wake up to a brand new day full of possibilities.
Your attitude and thoughts are rich and full of wisdom and indeed you are a woman living a luxurious life!
Thank you so much! You are leading the same life…which is why I love to read your wisdoms!
Yes to all of it..I am right there with you and could not agree more with how you define luxury!!
Your luxuries were eye candy! I think we were all on the same page with this post!
I love your descriptions of luxury. Quiet time – yes – often so hard to come by. The people who are precious to us. And Foyle! (Another Foyle fan… Delighted to have found that out. I am sooooooooooo addicted. Have you tried some of the Scandinavian television productions yet? They’re superb!)
Now please pass the berries. Would you mind?
🙂
We all love quiet…what does that say about our society?
I thrive at the beach or in a forest, where no one speaks so I just hear nature.
xoxo
I totally agree with you, it is a state of mind! Quiet time is my luxury.
We all seem to love our quiet time. It must be a reaction to our loud and fast paced society. Thanks for sharing Mary!
OMG. I am totally smitten with your adorable grandson. What a cutie!! I’m such a boy mom. And I remember that age so well, I bet you are really enjoying him.
Yes, that laugh would definitely be a moment of utter luxury. As would your other examples, and I agree with Suzanne about our health. As I get older I appreciate my strong body as a real luxury. By the way, I don’t think I mentioned that your wonderful series on the vanishing woman inspired me to write about aging too. I linked to your blog (part 1), and I hope you got such visits from it.
hugs,
Leslie
Thank you Leslie! He just fills my heart to overflow! What did I do with all this love before he was born???
I’m glad you liked the series. It felt very therapeutic to explore ther subject and I just loved all the comments. I love my readers. They are some super smart, intuitive cookies! xo
Great post. Luxury is time. After a hectic few months, I can say that I need some time off. Heaven. And a bathtub that is shoulder high. That’s the one thing I’ve found I can’t live without,
Time spent in a deep bubble bath just about covers my evening luxuries! Time to breathe and just relax is priceless to me.
Ah yes, Jennifer – it’s those intangibles that are life’s greatest luxuries. These are so sweet and ring so true. Lovely post today.
Thanks Barbara! I think I’ve lost your feed or you’ve been very quiet! I’m checking into it.
Well said, Jennifer. My luxuries include that quite time…and I guess for the first time in my life I have assistance with housekeeping and it is a luxury I hope never to be without again…such a blessing! I also am so grateful for some of the luxuries blogging affords me that I might not be able to enjoy. However, there are so many high dollar items I will NEVER have…and that is alright by me. My family is my ultimate luxury!
High ticket items give such a short thrill. Nothing to compare to the love of family!
xo
Jennifer we are really on point as to what luxury means. I will add to that the good health and loyal friends to enjoy what we are passionate about. It does not have to cost anything or very little. A walk in the warmth of the sun. A bright new lipstick, a scented bubble bath!
xoxo
Karena
The Arts by Karena
We are all on the same page! It’s not about things, but experiences and feelings. I’ll have to write to Merriam-Webster 🙂 Bubble baths are a favorite!!
xoxo
Beautiful.
Luxury to me is every breath I am blessed and privileged to live.
xoxo
That’s beautiful Marcia! Thank you.xo
CARS, JEWELRY and TRAVEL………….
However,skipping to the chicken coop for eggs or smelling the roses that EXPLODED overnight.Having a cup of coffee is my LUXURY every morning!Then I have those furry creatures who I adore and feel so GRATEFUL to have in my LIFE.DAILY LUXURIES…………we all should have some little something that we do not take for granted and adore or look forward too!
I agree with YOURS TOO!
WE all have luxuries to share!
XO
Your’s are delightful. I can;t imagine the thrill of collectiong fresh eggs each morning! Delightful luxuries. And your furry loves are precious!! Lunch next week? xoxo
Freedom! To come and go, to take a break when I want or need it, to eat what I want, to take a nap, to read, to live my life exactly as I want to, every minute of every day. Other people may have all of the swank stuff – I want time, leisure, and FREEDOM to make my own choices!
That’s a luxury we all should appreciate! Our freedom is priceless! Thanks for sharing Janice!
This was a great read.
Without a doubt one of the greatest luxuries for myself is time. Time to fill and plan my days on my own terms. When I worked outside of the home I was always trying to figure out how to stretch out my days off. There is only so much you can fit into 48 hours.
Another luxury is health. Many people don’t realize it is a privilege to be able to walk, run, workout, especially as we get older. Just being able to have a body that keeps me moving is a luxury I won’t take for granted.
bisous
Suzanne
Having our health is an amazing luxury Suzanne! If we aren’t blessed with good health it makes it very hard to enjoy our other luxuries. Time is so precious. Thank you for sharing! xo
My luxuries are almost entirely states of mind: like you, I revel in my early mornings that no longer require me to bustle myself and children about; I revel in reading for pleasure again after years of working non-stop and mostly reading bureaucratic documents; time for meditations and walks; a piece of good quality dark chocolate daily, my friends; being able to afford to be a starving artist; the trees around my house; and of course, time with my family. Now in the more typical categories for luxury: champagne, reading a fabulous book in the bathtub, stuart weitzman shoes, linen napkins freshly ironed, and books, books, books! My greatest luxury now is my ability to dream and imagine and I am forever grateful for that. Wonderful topic!
Oh Wendy, your luxuries are fabulous! Books, books, books…I adore them. Meditation, walks in nature…all these thiings are free!!