I have been acutely aware this week that it is the little things that bring happiness. Seeing a buzzard on the roadside eating its kill as I passed by in my car, after only seeing them through binoculars before. So much larger than I imagined, the colour of its feathers, more grey than brown, the huge golden eyes and the large, bloodied, hooked beak. I felt a thrill, as always, when I see something wild, close at hand. I have also seen a partridge, pheasant, tree-creeper and a multitude of magpies one for sorrow two for joy etc.
Joining a friend’s milestone birthday celebration with,a meal of hearty, home-cooked food – steak and kidney pie followed by treacle sponge and custard – put five very different women together and you get diverse conversation but always manage to find common ground. One of these ladies had read my blog post which included the last few paragraphs of my draft novel – she related it almost word-for-word to the others, who were rapt in their attention, I looked at their faces as she was speaking, and realised that it had given me pleasure to hear my words spoken out loud. It has also given me the impetus to carry on writing and honing the novel till it is something I can be proud of - see here if you missed it.
Little things like sweeping the leaves into golden mounds and wrapping up in warm towels after a long soak in the bath also bring a gentle kind of happiness – as does buying myself a special Christmas present, from me to me – wrapping it beautifully and putting it away till Christmas morning – when it will give me a second helping of pleasure.
I have begun reading ‘The Happiness Project’ by Gretchen Rubin here which I picked up from a charity bookshop, maybe it will give me a little insight into a few more gentle pursuits which bring happiness.
Which little things give you the most pleasure?
“Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp,
but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.”
Nathaniel Hawthorne