Make Use

On Ordinariness and Raymond Carver's "Sunday Night" (Plus a New Playlist)

Photo by Alisa Anton on Unsplash

“Sunday Night”

Make use of the things around you.
This light rain
outside the window, for one.
This cigarette between my fingers,
these feet on the couch.
The faint sound of rock-and-roll,
the red Ferrari in my head.
The woman bumping
drunkenly around in the kitchen . . .
put it all in,
make use.

-Raymond Carver

Raymond Carver is one of my favorite writers because he exalts ordinariness. Much of his writing is about regular people dealing with everyday events, yet there's always something profound in his words. "Sunday Night" is no exception. 

I love the groundedness of this poem and how Carver's words pull me deeper into my surroundings. I'm sensitive to the things around me. I tend to absorb other people's emotions, get overwhelmed by clutter, or relax in well-designed, bright spaces. The things around me affect me deeply, so I spent some time wondering what Carver meant when he implored the reader to make use of them. I thought about how I make use of the ordinary things in my life. 

As I write this post, my legs are covered by my favorite blanket. I love its softness and warmth so much that I bought two for myself and others as gifts. I'm making use of my blanket by using it to keep me warm. I also have a candle burning that smells incredible. This candle doesn't offer the same practicality as my blanket, but its scent invigorates me and makes my space feel cozy. I'm wearing lip balm that feels luxurious to apply, and just put on some hand cream that took away the dryness in my palms. I'm sitting in my favorite navy blue chair, where I've read hundreds of books throughout the years. It's easy to make use of the physical things I can see, smell, and touch, but Carver reminds me to also look for untouchable things, like music and a prized image in my head. 

I saw a beautiful rainbow on my drive to work this morning. I hadn't seen a rainbow that clearly in years. As I drove, I noticed part of the sky was dark and ominous, while another was brighter, showcasing the beautiful rainbow. How do I make use of the rainbow? Perhaps by acknowledging its beauty and allowing that beauty to speak goodness into my life. Maybe by paying attention to the darkness and light, remembering that beautiful things can come from both hardship and victory. 

There's been a trend on social media in recent years to romanticize one's life. Creators will film videos of their neighborhood set to moody jazz. Others will photograph their daily cup of coffee or journal. The point is to slow down and be mindful of the things that are easy to take for granted: the cafe down the street, our favorite sweater, the neighbor's cat. Watching this content is calming. The New York Times even wrote an article about the trend. One of the people they interviewed said, "I want to make even the most mundane of days feel unique because they are what make up the majority of our lives — not the vacations, or special events that happen once in a while." I don't think Raymond Carver would be a fan of TikTok, but I'd like to think he'd agree with that sentiment. 

As you make use of what’s around you and maybe even romanticize your life a little bit, you can use my Hello, Autumn playlist as a soundtrack. It’s full of songs that give me autumnal vibes. Enjoy!

Photo by Eastman Childs on Unsplash

What are the things around you right now? How do you make use of them? How do you make use of the untouchable goodness in your life? Leave your thoughts below.