The Simple Things

I sat here trying to think of something profound and life-changing to write about today and ended up with nothing earth shaking, let alone anything that would  move you at all.  Then, I realized that the reason why was simple…I needed to recognize the the little things in my life as important.  Somehow that made complete sense for this Fortunate Friday.  Earth shaking?  Probably not.  Important? Yes.

Acknowledging even the smallest of gestures sent forth into our experience is one of the most satisfying things you can do.  We’ve all heard the saying “stop and smell the roses.”  Yes, this statement seems cliche, but do you really do it?  Do I really do it?  Not often.  I think we get too caught up in trying to make the “big” things happen that we forget about enjoying the small nuances of life.

Why do we let this happen?

It seems that as we age, everything changes; we choose to ignore the beauty and quirkiness of life and adopt a more sophisticated mentality.  We want to be smart and worldly, beautiful and charming, advanced and experienced -everything that is unlike a child.  Do you know what sophisticated really means?  It is defined as to alter and make impure, as with the intention to deceive; to make less natural or innocent.  Simply stated, it’s just a whole lot of dung we allow to stick up our lives.  Does that sound like something that you want to do?  Not me.

The Child’s Example

If you have a small child around, try getting down on their level for just ten minutes and see what amazing wonders they find (and what trouble they get into).  My Missy Moo (toddler girl) was fascinated by a ladybug for way longer than I’ve ever been.  It nearly broke her heart to see it go.  A child’s outlook is one that we should strive for, even when we’re mature.  Better yet, try never losing it in the first place.

The Dying Woman’s Example

When my mother was dying of cancer, she was a different person than I’d remembered from growing up.  She had an innocent vibe that made her seem almost childlike.  Suddenly, the things that had been so important to her all those years were not worth her time. With sand sifting quickly through the hour glass of her life, she even managed to love herself more than she had ever done before the cancer struck.

Sharing a sundae or a walk in the park had become her new favorite past-times.  She laughed at the simplest knock-knock jokes told by my six-year-old.  She didn’t have to paint a masterpiece; her creative doodles that bordered her journal were good enough for her.

Try bringing yourself to a state of wonder again.  If even just for a few minutes a day.  Next Friday, I will share what experiences I had while in my “unsophisticated” way.  I hope you do, too!  Be well-be beautiful.

1. Photo by  Muhkuh89