Savouring Simple Pleasures
by It’s so very easy to let some of life’s basic simple pleasures slip by and out of our lives while we hustle to and fro getting this and that done. But it is just as easy to rediscover them either through the quiet contemplation of the present moment or a blissful memory from our past.
Our days are busy and our lives are filled with responsibilities and other concerns. These are reasons enough to seek out and savour simple pleasures.
What are simple pleasures? Well, they are those things, times, activities and conventional or quirky practices that we often overlook or deny ourselves because we are too busy making a living and honouring commitments to enjoy them. Are you one of those people who complain that you don’t have the time, money or some other resource to devote to such things?
There is nothing wrong with occasionally treating ourselves to an extravagant gift or a long well-deserved time-off or vacation. However, most enjoyable pleasures don’t require long stretches of time. Nor do they depend on bulging wallets, well-designed spaces, trendy clothes etc. Most often, you can find them in everyday, inconsequential and impromptu moments. They lurk in between the recurring run of our daily routines. They turn up in the predictable and unplanned encounters in familiar and unlikely places. I believe that God uses simple pleasures to ease our troubles, calm our minds and soothe our souls.
I’ve learned the importance and experienced the benefits of seeking out simple pleasures. They force me to slow the pace in the rush of my days and count my blessings. They allow me to cradle a few minutes to indulge my passion for writing by scribbling a thought or inspiring idea in my ever-handy notebook. Even more important, my life is enriched whenever I take the time to savour my simple pleasures because they help me to focus more on God and His goodness and less on what I may think is lacking in my life.
Most of my simple pleasures are found in silence and solitude, where I can observe and meditate on the rhythmic ebb and flow of life and find inspiration for writing. Here are some of my favourite simple pleasures:
Spending Quiet Time with God
Everyday, I cherish quiet, uninterrupted time with God. Prayer, meditation and reading my Bible are daily spiritual vitamins to my soul.
Listening to Birds Sing
I missed hearing birds sing when my days began and ended in darkness and the in-between hours were over-shadowed by an air-conditioned office and the noise of the travelling masses. Now I can enjoy them all day, especially in the morning. Their singing is a vivid reminder that God is the divine creator, who declared all that He created to be “good,” and He has blessed me with a new day.
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