Happiness Socks

 

Socks are usually boring unless you are lucky enough to find places that sell ones that are interesting or have friends and family who know you love unusual socks and give them to you.

It makes dressing in the morning less routine. Which pair should I wear today?  And why?

 

Besides deciding on color each morning, if I want to be motivated to break gender barriers and nourish my liberal genes, I'll put on the pair that has Ruth Bader Ginsburg's face.

If the RBG socks are in the wash, there's always the ones I bought at Fontevraud-lAbbaye when I visited the tomb of another heroine Eleanor of Acquitaine. I was also able to see the tombs of Richard the Lionhearted and Henry II, a memory bonus while dressing. 

If I'm feeling extra Swiss there's a green pair with happy cows. Reminders of fondues, geraniums, the chalet, and my wonderful life in Switzerland that I should never take for granted.

And because I love penguins, there's more than one pair with those cute little black and white birds waddling across my feet from time to time. 

If I'm going to sketch, there's my Klimt socks with his painting, the Kiss, for inspiration. I'm not an artist, but I have a notebook of illustrated haikus. I'm not a poet either, but writing the haikus and drawing primes my fiction writing just like water poured into a pump to get it flowing.

Everyone who knows me, knows I'm a compulsive reader (so far 51 books this year) so it is not surprizing I have many pairs with a book theme. Note: I do not need to wear book socks to read.

One of the best pairs was the one I just received for my last birthday. They are shown in the photo at the top of the blog. There is a cartoon of me with a book, a cup of tea and my name on one. The other sock has the words "Shhh, I'm reading." My husband might take it as a message if he sees me stretched out on the couch and reads my feet, but I'm not so sure my dog will pay attentiony and jump on me anyway.

This gift has another advantage. For years my daughter and I have exchanged socks at Christmas. Hers may reflect her love of coffee and cats or other interests. My birthday gift came with a card for the company that makes them, which will be a good source for this Christmas offering. 

Some people may think this is silly, but I believe if I can take something no matter how simple and ordinary and find even a modicom of joy, to make it special, I should.  

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