I had an epiphany over the weekend, over something quite mundane and of low importance In The Great Scheme Of Things.
While out for a 12 mile recreational ride on my bike, I realized that one of the little things that make life great is the road whine my tires make when I ride hard.
Then I got to thinking of the other little joys of life:
– Having my dog cuddle up with me on the couch
– Seeing my son get in a jam, then Doing The Right Thing to get out of it without my coaching;
– A home grilled hamburger, refrigerator pickles, a cold beer, and watermelon for desert on a hot, lazy summer day;
– Paying off a nagging debt;
– Pushing myself into accomplishing something I’ve not done before.
–The moment when a dish, like a pie or casserole or pizza, is finally perfectly assembled and ready to go into the oven. It’s almost as good as actually eating it.
–I also enjoy the moment when the bath/jammies/toothbrushing routine is accomplished and I can send them out to Daddy for storytime.
–Coming back to make the final edits on a report and realizing that it’s pretty darn good, but I can make it even better.
–Seeing dolphins when I’m out for my morning walk. (Although I’ll settle for hummingbirds, or even a lizard. I still get a kick out of lizards, even after 15 years in California.)
One of my satisfying things of life is when I get a compliment on one my children. Today I was at the mechanics paying for my daughters car that had just gotten fixed. (She’s 18 years old) She told me she was going to go ahead and take her car and leave. She came back in the office / mechanic’s waiting room a few minutes later and held out a Five Dollar Bill to the employee who pulled her car around and said “I found this in my car. Did it fall out of your pocket?” The man checked his pocket, and said it wasn’t his. After she left, the man said, almost under his breath… “you can sure tell that she’s been raised right”. I was swelling with pride.
Seeing an ATM card sticking out of a ATM machine, seeing a woman pull out of a parking space nearby, putting two and two together and hurredly flagging her down to return her forgotten card, and seeing the look of relief and gratitude on her face.
Overhearing parents exclaim to a Director what a great job I am doing tutoring their kids, and how much their kids love coming in just to say hello to me.
Hearing/seeing your own name.
Having Coldstone ice cream, or any ice cream.
Crying and realizing that you’ve been kind of holding back tears for about 2 years.
Really bad puns, but you can’t help laughing.
When the power goes out during a booming thunderstorm and the candles and boardgames come out. Or, playing boardgames in a candlelit room with a lit Christmas Tree and classical music in the background.
Driving to the country market for fresh apple pie and fudge.
The smell of Autumn.
The first real snowfall.
Eating the point off someone else’s pie.
Jumping in a pile of leaves.
Sledding.
Checking my e-mail and not having any spam.
Getting through a day at work without my computer crashing.
A day with no heartburn (this is made better if I didn’t take my pill and still don’t get heartburn)
Warm homemade baked potato bread and beef stew with lots of potatoes with a huge wedge of sharp chedder cheese, a tall glass of mild and pumpkin pie for dessert.
Nice site!
I was swelling with pride.