Everyone is trying to save money in this economy. So I made a big, bold statement — I am not going to buy anything I don't absolutely need. And I meant that. Then I went to this store — one of those large stores that are painted blue and yellow — and I saw this little lamp. It was quirky and adorable and it made me smile. I'd never thought I would be drawn to a little lamp like this. The price was great. Do I need it? I asked myself. Do I absolutely need it?
Now, need is an interesting word, and being a writer, I love words. There are many things that I absolutely need, like oxygen, my husband, and reading glasses. There are other things I need, like food and a roof over my head. Thinking about the roof over my head, made me realize that this little lamp could be very useful somewhere in my house. Actually, since it was so cheap, two of them could be even better. I grabbed two lamps. My husband, who was with me, said, "Where are you going to put them?" Talk about killing joy and creativity. I knew there was a place for them, I just didn't know where. I bought the lamps, took them home, tried them in my office. They looked lame. Tried the bedroom. No. The kitchen, the living room, the hall, the guest room. The bathroom. No. No. No. I clasped them to my breast. I loved them, I thought I needed them, and they didn't fit. Anywhere. My husband, to his credit, didn't say I told you so, he didn't even smirk. But then I found this one dark corner in our bedroom and I plugged the little light on. I turned out all the other lights in the room and I've got to tell you, it worked. It looked warm and unexpected and it made me smile. It made me think about the power of love. If we don't give up, we'll find the right place to plug it in.