Let Me Look in Your Windows
And I’ll read every beautiful word
I can’t be the only one. Admit it; you love peeking into lit windows at night. We all do.
There’s something seductive and irresistible about peering into someone else’s living room, someone else’s life. Ever notice that seeing your own living room window from the street, lit up at night, how it looks different than the room you know so well? So the life you’re so well-settled into, maybe even a tiny bit bored with, from where I’m standing out in the dark and looking in, it’s fascinating to me. Wait. Don’t pull the curtains.
Now that we’re all shut-ins, one of my great joys is reading about your lives especially your lives now. Although journeys down various memory lanes can also be quite tasty.
I have howled into the indifferent night about how much I never want to read another bunch of tips on how to do anything better or how to be more productive or how to beat imposter syndrome. When I open a thread of shared stories in any of half a dozen online pages I scroll and scroll and scroll right past all that tedious stuff although I’m happy to write the occasional send-up of it.
What I’m looking for are the lit-up windows; the ones shining out into our new and confusing night. I want to know how you’re getting through whatever it is you’re getting through. And I really want to know how you’re not getting through it, too. I might be not getting through something very similar.
Recently I’ve hit some really juicy, interesting, honest and wonderfully well-lit windows. Allow me to share them with you because I know you’re out here with me, peeking into lit windows, too.
Here Melissa-Jane Nguyen delights with this giggle-out-loud piece:
One of my long-time favorite writers here is Michelle Marie Warner. Her windows are beautifully, warmly lit and what I see in there sings of authenticity, honesty, and compassion. And she’s a great writer. For some time now she’s been including the occasional personal piece about a possible new romantic relationship (don’t those windows just glow the most brightly?) and here I am, shameless voyeur, with my chin on the window sill.
One of the most irresistible ways a good writer can reel me in is to use her own experiences to illuminate a universal. Watch how Michelle does that here.
And then she opens the front door, never mind peeping in the windows now, and lets us all in. Incredible generosity and courage, my friend!
I would be remiss if I didn’t include Helen Cassidy Page here, especially since she never pulls her curtains and keeps her lights shining late into the night these days. Welcome indeed.
In addition to her many other interesting pieces, Helen is never shy about letting us peek into how she’s managing as a complete shut-in during the pandemic. Many of us, myself included, have the privilege and luxury of donning masks and gloves and going for a walk in the park. Helen doesn’t have that, but what she does have is wit, snark, experience, and a smart way with a story. Like here.
I knew you were one of us. You have some fairly nicely lit windows there yourself and don’t think I’m not looking in there at night.
Sure all those pieces that “create value” and “provide solutions”, the ones that are evergreen and SEOed to the brim, yep, they probably make a boatload of money here and on other platforms. Bully for them. I’m not interested. I’m always going to be drawn to the lit windows in the night. I’ll be out walking at night again soon and will clue you in to more windows worth peeking into.
But for now, please, don’t pull those shades down, k?
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