‘“A good life is a collection of happy moments.”
-Denis Waitley
What makes you smile?
What are those daily routines that you look forward to?
Those little moments that bring a small shimmer of joy every time?
I love my morning dog wake-up routine. Elsie, my greyhound, comes over to “my” side of the bed and lays her head on the edge, willing me to wake up and scratch her silky ears. I can feel her presence through closed eyes and, if the intent stare and heavy breathing aren’t doing the job, she clearly makes her point with a cold, wet “boop” of her nose in my face.
Half-way through my Daily 10, my morning meditation, Gunther, my 16-year old terrier, stretches himself out of bed, toddles on over and sits on my foot. I wait for it… and find myself smiling. Every single time.
We allow ourselves to get caught up in the busy-ness of life, running from thing to thing at such breakneck speed, with our thoughts frenetic and scattered. But life is filled with so many moments of grace, beauty and loveliness. These moments to savor are everywhere. What if we took the time to notice and to savor them more fully, more frequently?
My husband, Tim, loves to pour that first cup of coffee to take with him on our morning walk, savoring the fresh coffee while breathing in the clean air and enjoying the morning light filtering through the trees on the path ahead.
My friend Holly loves sitting in her chair after dinner so her two pups can jump into her lap. They snuggle like that every evening until her knees go numb.
Charmaine enjoys looking out of her window to watch the birds in the feeder - admiring all of the different personalities and shapes, colors and sizes.
Linda melts every time her baby girl smiles up at her and coos.
My neighbor John loves walking out to his porch and watering the flowers in the pots on his front step.
Even though they live several hundred miles away, Carolyn and Steve “tuck” their grandchildren in via big screen every night.
My friend Joe puts his ear buds in during lunch breaks, plays some relaxing music, takes a few deep breaths, and comes back to his desk feeling more calm, focused and a little happier.
Life is made of moments.
What are your favorite moments of the day?
What if you took a the time to notice these small moments, and allowed yourself to savor them more fully and frequently?
There are many moments that are routine, of course. Yet it’s often these moments of simplicity that give us the greatest joy. Notice them. Protect them. Cherish them.
These moments are the pearls that make our lives rich.
“Big things are often just small things that are noticed.”
Markus Zusak
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My puppy Scarlet gets up from the bottom of the bed around 5 am and wants to spoon under the covers. Even thou she’s hot, I look forward to it every morning.