Simple Pleasures

Mothering Sunday this weekend was really special. My kids, unprompted by their dad (or so I am led to believe) all spontaneously acknowledged the day, and in so-doing acknowledged me in the most wonderful way. My 16 year old son, untypically non-grunting and up early, brought me a cup of tea in bed; my 14 year old diva daughter told me she loved me and had picked out a movie to watch with me while I relaxed in the afternoon, while my little one presented me with a beautiful home-made card and hugged the breath out of me. In the moment of receiving, I put aside my usual busy agenda of catching up with the housework, email and grocery shopping and gave way to the beauty of the simple pleasures of life with my family.

They say the best things in life are free.  Beyond a shadow of a doubt it is true.  Life is filled with simple pleasures, the little satisfying events we never really anticipate, but always take great pleasure in.  They are true gifts in life. We all know this to be true, but how often do we take the time to really enjoy them and melt into their moments? On Sunday, I took the time to write down my simple pleasures – it felt like a wonderful personal brainstorm of everything in life I really enjoy – and it only took me a few minutes to surface them. Here are the first 20 I wrote down:

• Luxuriating in a bubble bath with a good book
• Walking my two cheeky Labradors with my husband on a cold sunny Sunday morning
• Holding hands
• Laughing with my girlfriends over a frothy cappuccino
• Fresh sheets on the bed
• A roaring fire
• Visiting the fabric department of John Lewis
• Karaoke with the kids
• Bed time reading with my 10 year old daughter
• Family suppers full of chat and teasing
• My dad’s jokes
• Paddling in the sea
• Finishing a chapter of my book
• The smell of the baker’s shop
• A gorgeous view
• Watching old episodes of Outnumbered
• Preparing Sunday lunch for the masses
• Exploring a new city
• Writing a personal  letter to a loved one
• Dancing to Take That while cooking!

The very act of writing my personal simple pleasures made me smile. Try it for yourself, then most importantly – go and make one happen immediately. Just step off the fly wheel for a few minutes and consciously luxuriate in your own simple pleasures. As Oprah Winfrey once said “remind yourself that this moment is the only one you know you have for sure, so make it special.”