I’ve written a lot about calling, vocation, work, and leadership, all passions of mine. But right now, as I sit on the patio under an umbrella on a windy day, I’m really just trying to find a way to keep the squirrels and chipmunks out of our bird feeders. I’m also thinking about the simple pleasures in life. You know, like:
God’s Creation
- Getting that much needed rain for your yard or plants you just planted
- A cool breeze
- The smell of fresh cut grass
- A beautiful sunset
- Sitting on the beach watching the ocean waves
- A rainbow
- Seeing the first growth of sweet corn or soybeans in the fields in central Illinois
- The Fall colors (trees)
- A walk along the beach
- Snow-capped mountains
- Walking along the path around Geneva Lake in Wisconsin
Food/Drink
- Taking that first bite of a juicy peach or slice of watermelon
- The smell of fresh popped popcorn at the theatre
- Taking a long draw on a tall glass of sweet tea from Chick Fil-A
- Eating pizza, just about any pizza
- Searching out the best doughnuts in whatever city you’re in
- A great burger
Experiences
- Hearing one of your favorite songs on the radio
- Watching the birds and hearing them sing
- An on-time, turbulent free plane trip
- A walk-off win by the St. Louis Cardinals
- Taking a nice walk
- Going to Disney World
- Listening to a new record by one of your favorite artists
- Picking up your dog from vet and seeing how happy they are to go home
- Hitting a great golf shot
- Hearing everyone sing a great hymn or praise song at your church
- A place to lay your head, to call home
- Going for a hike
- Reading a good book, especially by one of your favorite authors
- Going to a movie that you’ve been looking forward to
- Summer vacation with the family
- Binge-watching one of your favorite shows
- Taking a bike ride
- Wearing new clothes for the first time
- Christmas traditions
- Attending the Ligonier Ministries National Conference in Orlando
These are just a few of the simple pleasures that I can think of. What would you add to this list?
October 1, 2018 at 10:27 am
This post reminds me of a book, “14,000 Things to Be Happy About” by Barbara Ann Kipfer. I had the Page-A-Day desk calendar for a couple of years. All the book is, is a list of 14,000 ‘simple pleasures’. The desk calendar was 5 per day. Loved it, as it gave me some happy thoughts each day! I had a widowed aunt who was battling cancer in the 1990’s, and I sent her a copy of the book…and she LOVED it. She joked that she never thought she would like a book that had absolutely no plot, but that one gave her some happy thoughts amidst her treatment process. Sadly, her cancer ended with her death, but I cherish the memories of being able to send some light into her life during a difficult time.