Touchy feely

One thing that might strike people as odd is Marie Kondo’s insistence that joy is only sparked by touching an object. I have no problem with her idea to touch and hold an item before deciding to keep or discard it. Looking at something from a distance may not give you proper perspective or appreciation. But I don’t think that is the only way to asses an item. With my pens, I have to write with them and test them, if I haven’t used them in a while. Simply holding it in my hand is not going to give me any insights. If it’s my scented candles or essential oils, holding a closed container in my hand doesn’t tell me anything – I need to open it and smell it. Some of the clothing I tried on and discovered I really liked something I previously thought was iffy. Or I wanted to try it one to see if or how well it fit. That being said, things that have visual appeal don’t always need to be touched in order to be enjoyed either. I have a glass with dichroic glittery flecks swirled around it sitting on my bedroom shelf. I love it every time I see it. Sure, I can pick it up, roll it around in my hands to appreciate different views of it, but I don’t HAVE to in order for it to spark joy. Simply seeing it across the room is beautiful, and it gives me an inkling of what I should look for in other objects as to whether they make the cut or not.