Simple Treats: Tuesday's Reflection

This past week my husband painted the inside of one set of kitchen cupboards and installed sliding baskets from The Container Store, making access so much easier for pots and pans and ETC. 

I was delighted, and we laughed about how it doesn't take much to make us happy. 

In their day baubles and bouquets of roses and weekends away were wonderful, but these days I am just as pleased with simpler pleasures, including ones I give myself. 

Here are some recent treats:

* Using new markers for my bullet journal and coloring books.

* Inviting friends for a casual supper and planning a menu.

* Receiving an email from the library saying a book I requested is waiting for me. Most recently, it was Heavy, An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon and earlier this year Laurentian Divide by Sarah Stonich and Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver.

* Organizing my dresser, using Marie Kondo's "tidying" methods.

*Watching a fat squirrel burrowing through the snow to get seeds from the bird feeder.

*Enjoying the scent of the lavender-rosemary candle as I read in the snug.

* Listening to "Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me" on NPR.

*Seeing granddaughter Maren swish a basketball through the hoop at her most recent game.

* Looking ahead to the coming week and events planned with both grandkids. 

*Walking at the Mall of America before stores open --no worries of ice or snow. 

*Seeing chatty emails from friends in my inbox.

* Going out for brunch after church and reading The New York Times. 

* Pulling into our garage and then walking into a warm and cozy house as the snow continues to fall.

*Teaching T'ai Chi to a group at church and feeling the energy as we open and receive from heaven.

Don't I have a luxurious life? 

I suspect you do as well. 

Sometimes we just need a reminder, especially on these cold and sometimes treacherous winter days, or on days when we feel overwhelmed by changes or challenges in our lives. 

I recently read Mary Pipher's new book Women Rowing North, Navigating Life's Currents and Flourishing as We Age (loved it!), and she ends the book this way:

           Dear sisters, I hope that we can experience bliss.
           I want us to sense how big life is--how intense,
           joyful, painful, complicated, and beautiful our lives
           can be. Let us embrace everything. This can be our
           rescue as we navigate this last stretch of the river
           with its treacherous currents, quicksand, deep clear
           waters, and silver sunsets. 

Begin by naming your simple pleasures. 

An Invitation

What simple pleasures are you noticing right now? I would love to know.