The 'likes' that serve no purpose are what build my world

I tend to think about daily life in terms of whether things are useful or not.
Before I knew it, I was even finding reasons for the time I spend drinking coffee.
'To clear my head,' 'to make progress on my writing,' 'to calm my feelings.'
Even though it's a break, I end up assigning it a role. I felt like if it didn't serve some purpose, I shouldn't be allowed to have that time.

As I drip coffee with water from the electric kettle, the aroma gently spreads. Beyond the steam, I suddenly think of the things I love.
The moon, snow, dragons, libraries, cherry blossoms, moonstone and fluorite, lapis lazuli and powder blue. Glasswork and quiet lights.
When I line them up, I notice many of them are blue, quiet, and contain some kind of light.

Things I love, simply because I love them, with no relation to whether they can be used for creative work.
I am drawn to things that make my heart feel a little quieter when I look at them. There are 'likes' I want to keep by my side.

And so, I drop my favorite scent onto the fluorite stone diffuser on my study desk. Then, I spend time working while drinking coffee.
There is no reason or value attached to those 'favorite things.' Or rather, there doesn't need to be.
Just like when I was a child and collecting glass rings was my obsession.

These are my smartphone straps. Fluorite, resin, and all sorts of things sparkling away.
There's a netsuke charm that came with an omikuji from a nearby shrine, and a cherry blossom amulet strap I bought at another shrine. I carry what I love with me.
I'm thinking of trying my hand at resin crafts during summer vacation, using my son's independent research project as an excuse.

During the coffee time when I'm thinking about such things and working on my writing, I can return to being just a writing jellyfish.
Sometimes I just zone out and listen to music.
Time that seems to produce nothing is perhaps when the fragments slowly return to me, becoming seeds for words and creation.

The colors and scenery I love seep into my writing and my drawings.
Not as materials for creation, but just because, the 'likes' that served no purpose at all have built my world.

Having said that, the season for public submissions is coming up.
The writing jellyfish is running around in circles, worrying about having no ideas.
Should I go pray to the gods for help? Or should I really take one day off to do absolutely nothing?

Maybe I should try making a wish on my straps.

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