Rose-scented Happy Colour

When I was in therapy, I was given an anxiety calming meditation that involves the line "I see beauty all around me". When my therapist finished showing and teaching me this little mantra, she made a throwaway comment about it making her feel as though she was in the inside of a peony. And for some reason, that just seemed like the most beautiful soothing imagery - imagining the light shining through the flesh of the petals. Warm glow. When I was a very little girl, I used to lie under the sheets and look at the light coming through and it was so safe, the colours were warm, I was in another world.

The point is then, that pale pink and peonies are good, soothing, safe. (I also like the word tea rose too. Mmm, tea rose. So conceptually YUMMY. One day I ought to find out exactly which rose is a tea rose.)

Today I have been in a super antsy anxiety-driven mood all day, I needed to make a pink nest for myself, curl up in pink. I came home via the supermarket where I bought pale pink spring flowers and Battenburg Cake (pink and white coloured sponge stuck together by jam and wrapped in marzipan... a Big Pink Cake) I'm about to get into bed with my hot water bottles, I'm changing into my pink pyjamas. My room is rose scented. I ate well tonight. I feel better.

These botanical drawings are early 19th Century hand coloured engravings, by a man called Pierre-Joseph Redoute, and I think they are rather pretty.