How a twenty-euro table enables my flourishing
This photo was taken from a video my partner made. He’d walked through the forest towards me sitting at my new table and videoed as he went. It’s the kind of thing he often does but this time he wanted to make a point. An inexpensive camping table had provided the means for a whole new range of activity while bathing in nature and provided me with a blissful few hours with myself. This is the story.
The context
It’s been hot in Amsterdam—really hot. It’s unusual for there not to be any kind of breeze from the sea but recently it’s been exactly like that. I don’t do well once the temperature goes past 25° and a few days ago it was 32°. Work was a struggle, even reading was an effort. After a few days of dragging ourselves around the apartment, my partner and I escaped to the forest.
We have a favourite spot near the village of Lage Vuursche where there is a whole cathedral of beech trees. If you park your car at the side of the road and walk just a few metres into the forest you’re in a different world. It’s cool, spacious and quite magical.
Perhaps you’re familiar with the Japanese practice of forest bathing? It’s the idea of actively engaging with a forest to help settle your mind through appreciating beauty, observing the interplay of light in the trees and celebrating the beauty of imperfection and impermanence. The trees help us to get in touch with the present moment and let go of our tendency to ruminate, worry and check our phones. Research is even beginning to indicate that it is beneficial for our health. Certainly, I feel that when I walk and sit among the trees.
Trees and me
As I slowly work on finding my creative style trees seem to feature heavily in my work. For the last few months, I have been working on a large water colour of a beech tree showing all four seasons across the area of the tree. It’s probably the most ambitious painting I have tried and it’s taking longer than I expected but I love it, and I’ll keep going. The plan is to make a textile version when the water colour is finished. In the run of things it always feels as if there is not enough time to work on it, so when I am in the forest that inspired the whole project, I want to take some time to experiment with different ideas. In the past I’ve struggled with drawing materials and my sketchbook in my lap and dropping things all over the place and so we looked for a portable way to make things work. A camping table seems like a good option and we found one that was surprisingly cheap.
And so, to the table
This was the first outing for the table. I’ve used it at home as an extension of my worktable for painting and sewing but this was the first time we set it up in the forest. It was amazing how spacious and convenient it proved to be. In the few hours I was sitting in the forest I started an embroidery project for a young friend, read sections in two different books and spent ages scribbling different versions of ideas about trees. At home, in the heat, I had only wanted to lie on the couch! The softness of the forest, the light and gentle breeze created a beautiful environment where I could relax and find ease.
Not only that, it added to a deeper sense of agency, a confirmation that there are always possibilities at hand that can help us to grow our sense of purpose and meaning. It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed by circumstances that are not working in our favour—in this case, the heat. As we age and reach new milestones, and fresh challenges flourishing can feel a big hill to climb.
The success of this simple, inexpensive table showed me that the answers can be simpler and closer to hand than we think if we can reach out for them. The effect can be unexpected and more profound than we expect.
Have you got a recent story of a seemingly small circumstance changing something meaningful for you in a productive way? Please share if you have.
