On Coming Home

I am Home- and there is nothing quite like it. 

It's funny how enthusiastic I was to make oh so much art and to absolutely soak up being in a new and exciting country just a few months ago. I want this change of location- being home- to be just as inspiring.

I have been thinking about the way changing locations inspires and excites. The way when I go somewhere new I bring my camera and really look at even the tiny things. The 'tourist syndrome'- staring at oddities which to the locals seem normal. It is being able to admire without rigid ideas of what to expect. The only expectation is discovery itself.

 It is not so much the existence of the incredible in that far away place, but my openness and expectation to see it.

While I was in Brazil I read a book titled The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton. 

I particularly enjoyed reading the chapter on Return and Habit- about a man by the name of Xavier de Maistre who in 1790  put out a publication entitled 'journey around my bedroom’.

An enthralling title I know- especially considering the entire thing was literally set within his room.  Needless to say it did not make best seller status.

What was groundbreaking about this notion though was the prospect of adventure without even leaving your own room. Home being a place we know we become habituated and easily blind to what is there- de Maistre was adamant that it is ourselves that are responsible for adventure, that loveliness and curiosities are possible even without leaving our bedroom.

He reckoned that even 'the most indolent beings wont have any more reason  to hesitate before setting off to find pleasures that will cost them neither money or effort’ p245. 

I wonder about what pleasures are in store- now that I am home. I plan to keep my sketch book at hand and camera not much further. There may not be Amazonian animals, spectacular beaches or pumping fresh fruit markets around here but I'm sure there are other pleasures- if I'm open to them. There are plenty of delights here in Comfortable Canberra, if only I am ready to delight in them.