A foreign friend of mine uploaded a photo to Facebook of the matching notebooks we bought a long time ago.

When I messaged her asking "You still have that?!"

I got a one-word reply:

"Sentimental value."

Since then, the phrase "sentimental value" has stuck with me.

This year, I found myself using it quite often.

For example, I had been thinking about replacing a kitchen knife I inherited from my sister, but I decided, "No, this one's fine as it is. I'll keep using it."

I also found myself thinking, "Oh well, it's fine," about the strange single-seater leather armchair my husband has had since he lived alone.

And when I was hesitating about making a somewhat impulsive purchase overseas, I found a new excuse: "It's for sentimental value."

Living that way, I've come to be content with the things I wear and the things in my home, and I feel like I'm doing well mentally.

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Every day, we're bombarded with information from all directions. It feels like the definition of "good" for clothes, furniture, and daily necessities is increasingly being decided by other people.

(I know I don't have to look, but still)

With ratings, reviews, who the curator is, or whether something won a "good whatever" award...

If I'm even a little bit zoned out, I end up wanting things I don't need, and I get carried away by myself.

"Sentimental value": Something that may have no value to others but holds special meaning to oneself. Emotional value.

This phrase I encountered this year feels like it has freed me from that kind of spell.

Speaking of which, this was the house I lived in the longest in London.

It was overflowing with stuff and falling apart, but it was incredibly comfortable.

This house also made me want to change careers to the interior design industry when I returned to Japan.

Even after leaving London, I continued to seek the comfort of this house, and recently, I feel like I'm finally finding a clue.

I believe that no matter where you live in the world, if you're surrounded by things you've gathered according to your own values, that place becomes your own.

Those were my thoughts as the year came to an end.

See you!

posted by A. Imoto