A Big Bang!
How NASA Astronaut Sunita Williams taught me the importance of observation and what a week of wow looks like.
Sometimes, the synchronicities in life are a little obtuse. Take April, at the start I was writing about the wonderful Sunita Williams for PUSS PUSS Magazine and then I’m in Japan walk into Ginza Six and see this: Kenyi Yanobe’s Big Cat Bang and suddenly cats and outer space are magically intertwined.
Outer space inspires awe and so do 100’s of plastic cats suspended in a department store. Even astronaut Sunita Williams experiences awe “When the engines start up, you think, “Holy moly, we're really going.” Just eight minutes later, you're in space.”
In my article Williams described viewing Earth from space “We've got a really cool window called the cupola. It's a big, circular window with six panes around, you can see the edge of the Earth, you can go out - look out into the universe. It's pretty spectacular.”
In terms of spectacular though, how she views these sights is most important to her.
“ I think windows are really important for the psychological health of crew members on long-duration missions. It is nice to look outside, even if it is dark.”
If you’d like to read more your can order PUSS PUSS Magazine here, it’s a glossy treat and I promise you’ll enjoy.
Anyway, inspired by Sunita’s perspective, today we focus on awe or how we find our personal window to more joy. Lately, for me it comes from observation, mostly of plants and flowers. For someone who gets a lot of joy from a Gucci coat, it might ( read definitely will ) surprise people to know how much I really just enjoy walking around and looking at flowers.
BUT. LOOK. AT. THESE
Special shout out to the co-ordinating resident in the bottom left. Your colour coordination brings me as much joy as Alessandro Michele, former Gucci decadent design wizard and Valentino’s wise new hire.
Speaking of fashion and awe, the fabulous Stressed Stylist drew my attention to Dazed fashion editor Imruh’s collaboration with Ikea for Salone di Mobile Milano. This is the kind of simple genius I used to marvel at in others at art college and still do.
Imagine that nondescript paper shades can create Bauhaus-esque Ballet Russe costumes?! The type of mind that can conjure this kind of magic from raw materials is one I am inspired by and envy. But, mostly this kind of thought drives me to do better, simplify my thinking and really SEE things.
Fashion may not seem to be something that brings joy. Firstly, fast fashion harms the environment, and the fashion industry is notoriously unkind. Yet, fashion also offers an instant and personal exuberance that is more obvious than most creative mediums. Case in point, the delicious and much-missed Iris Apfel.
Photo: Noam Galai for Getty Images.
Another way we observe is in listening, this week, Heather Havrilevsky spoke about how we are perpetually distracted and what we lose in that. I love her writing, and like all of us, I strive to be more present so this was a great reminder for one way to be more present. Something I struggle with because I associate it with pausing or stopping.
I have never liked sitting still, it fuels my anxious internal clock but someone who struck me as extremely present this week was Pamela Anderson, and her declaration; “I Am Playing Me.” Watching her exuberant joy running through the Met in her beautiful dress lit me up.
Her interview, was equally illuminating:
“I feel like everything has led me to this pinnacle moment where I get to be at the Met, being respected and accepted by Anna Wintour,” Ms. Anderson said before the gala. She was in a hotel room at the Lowell, getting ready for a dress fitting. “I can imagine that in the past I was not someone she would ever take a second look at. I wasn’t in fashion, ever. I wasn’t cool. And I know those things may seem really superficial to some people, but it means a lot to me. I think I’m ready to meet her now. I’m terrified,” she continued. “But that’s my happy place.”
So often women are told that as we age we become more irrelevant, that the good things available to us are dwindling. But watching this I thought, there is so much to look forward to!
Her embrace of her fear and sweet vulnerability in sharing her joy at being there, made me feel really hopeful, giddy and excited for what’s possible for me and my female friends. I loved how she wasn’t even hemmed in by her own decisions to largely eschew makeup. It was a big night and Pamela wanted to feel beautiful and I’m fairly sure that’s exactly how she felt. A surprise highlight from an otherwise fairly drab Met Ball.
So this week here’s to awe and wonder, big and small and never giving up on our dreams coming true. Thank you Pamela and Sunita for reminding us, that this is the case and thank you all for reading this too.