My friend Nan would say “celebrate little victories”. I have to say at this time life is good!! My daughter is doing well and my son has a new GF I just met. She is on his soccer team so he has known her for a while and they have a lot in common. Of course I had to coach him a bit & have him think about his future potential partner and who might be a good fit for him- not just “a trophy GF” . He is also starting a new job starting next week. A new chapter! I really have no complaints!!
Ha – this happened today when I almost dropped a glass but it deflected and I caught it before it hit the counter and shattered! I was so happy and said thank you, an Angel’s wing assist:)
I celebrated not having to clean up tons of glass shards. A small thing but a gift!
Ah,
the little things . . .
sometimes I find them,
and sometimes they find me.
Sometimes I expect them
and other times they catch me off guard
and surprise me.
A small spider next to the bathroom sink,
making a living
and earning her keep
by catching fruit flies that drive me crazy . . .
I celebrate her every morning
and every night when I brush my teeth.
It’s the little things
that put my life in perspective,
reminding me
that perfectly imperfect is beautiful,
and that all of us
are doing the very best we can
in any given moment
(even though it doesn’t always feel that way).
That little spider in my bathroom
doesn’t ask for anything . . .
she has no great aspirations
except to live.
She is both humble and merciless
and more special than she realizes,
and I celebrate her tenacity . . .
such a little thing
with profound wisdom to impart
unbeknownst to her.
I celebrate by enjoying her
and by taking her unconscious wisdom
to heart. ♥
As much as possible! in the morning when opening the blinds, celebrating whatever weather shows up, being grateful for the day ahead, for the joy to my eyes in front of me, for the extraordinary gift of a small meditation room inside my flat to sit every morning and once a week together with some dear kindred hearts; for the fresh bread or cereals with fresh fruits from the garden and sometimes a little luxory of added vanilla; celebrating the walk to my office every morning alongside a river, joyfully greeting the birds who live there, grateful for their being there; grateful that i have work to earn my living, and may even help other people and this goes on through the day. Not every moment, but often celebrating life with joy and gratefulness for that it is. Thank you for this question.
I guess, normaly, I don’t really celebrate those little things, but, the few times I’ve done that was always feeling happy and letting this happiness fill me up and just enjoy the feeling, being grateful for being able to experience those small little things.
Sometimes I feel like I didn’t actually understand the importance of those small things in my life, but, I want to actually see them, to know that they are here and understand that the smallest achievements are what make the big one really happens.
Some are newer here so I’ll repeat something I’ve mentioned before. After reading Ross Gay’s Book of Delights I started to keep a list each day in my journal headed “today’s delights”. I use a different color of ink and play with stencils to decorate that corner of the page. I make that commitment every morning, to seek and find delights in each day. I always do.
I started what was going to be a blog series this year to write about my delights. I’ve missed a few months [shrug, life] and this is a reminder to write about July’s delights before month’s end. Just a few:
The sweet floral scent of the tayberry rhubarb jam I made recently.
The many shades and shapes and textures of all the greens in my neighborhood, from plants to shrubs to trees in the park we live by.
The beautiful colors courtesy of my neighbor who makes the corner into our culdesac an explosion of gorgeous flowers.
Seeing six great blue herons in a group, which we never see–they’re always standing alone, fishing in the inlet.
In a new pop-up museum in downtown, admiring a beautiful great blue heron print by an artist with heritage from the tribe whose lands I’m on, coming home to look up more about him, and discovering I could buy a print of the piece.
Resonant tones of our wind chimes and similar ones at the neighbor’s house when a breeze kicks up.
The ritual of my sweetheart bringing me a cup of hot coffee first thing in the morning and sitting together for a while to start our day.
Little things enrich every day as long as we notice them.
What a lovely post,
dear Barb,
topped off with the delicious dessert
of your blog post.
It seems so apropos
to buy the blue heron print
to celebrate the day,
the bird,
and the man’s artwork.
Thank you for this breath of fresh air. ♥
Today I notice how much context affects the “little things.” For example, Loc mentioned a thunderstorm leading to the electricity going out, which resulted in a celebration of light and visibility from candles. This morning I notice that my body is hungry. It wants energy in the form of food, which I will then use to live on this day. If my body was dying it would not want food, or even water. The simple sensation of hunger is a sign that I have life. I notice this within the context of the dying. I can celebrate that my body is alive and healthy by using my energy well.
There are a lot of little ways to celebrate. Saying thank you, using the object respectfully, not take it for granted, and don’t mis use.
Thank you for all the thoughts and reflections I read daily. You all are woven into the fabric of my life.
To this cup, I pay homage.
To the designer of this cup,
to the workers who made this cup,
who mined the ores, I pay homage.
To the workers who dug the clay,
ground the glazes, the farmers
who fed those workers I pay homage.
To the great cycles which give us
clean air, clear water, to all living things,
all the earth, I pay homage.
To this tea, I pay homage.
To the growth in the bud,
to the cells exchanging
air, water and light, I pay homage.
to the workers who grew, tended,
picked the tea, who packed, transported,
distributed the tea, I pay homage.
To the great cycles which give us
clean air, clear water, to all living things,
all the earth, I pay homage.
To this water, I pay homage.
To the rain which falls,
to the rivers, the dams,
the builders and plumbers, I pay homage.
To the oceans and the sun,
the great trade winds
and the world’s turning, I pay homage.
To all the cycles which bring us
clean air, clear water, to all living things,
all the earth, I pay homage.
Yes, using the object respectfully creates a different feel for “stuff,” I think. I have noticed that in other cultures, and sometimes here, people have fewer objects, but each object has more significance and care in it. Thank you Yram.
I like the “little things” in life and also don’t think they are so little. Every little thing counts, and I’m happy to notice everything I can and appreciate it in some way. Saying thank you in the best form for whatever it is. Sometimes it’s verbal, sometimes I just feel it in my heart, sometimes it’s sharing a bite of a delicious meal. We can find so many little things to be thankful for if we pay attention.
“Saying thank you in the best form for whatever it is. Sometimes it’s verbal, sometimes I just feel it in my heart” – that really resonates with me, thank you Sunnypatti.
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My friend Nan would say “celebrate little victories”. I have to say at this time life is good!! My daughter is doing well and my son has a new GF I just met. She is on his soccer team so he has known her for a while and they have a lot in common. Of course I had to coach him a bit & have him think about his future potential partner and who might be a good fit for him- not just “a trophy GF” . He is also starting a new job starting next week. A new chapter! I really have no complaints!!
On a way-too-hot kind of lonely day for me, I ran into someone I knew in the local food store and got to have a good conversation with her. 👍
Ha – this happened today when I almost dropped a glass but it deflected and I caught it before it hit the counter and shattered! I was so happy and said thank you, an Angel’s wing assist:)
I celebrated not having to clean up tons of glass shards. A small thing but a gift!
Ah,
the little things . . .
sometimes I find them,
and sometimes they find me.
Sometimes I expect them
and other times they catch me off guard
and surprise me.
A small spider next to the bathroom sink,
making a living
and earning her keep
by catching fruit flies that drive me crazy . . .
I celebrate her every morning
and every night when I brush my teeth.
It’s the little things
that put my life in perspective,
reminding me
that perfectly imperfect is beautiful,
and that all of us
are doing the very best we can
in any given moment
(even though it doesn’t always feel that way).
That little spider in my bathroom
doesn’t ask for anything . . .
she has no great aspirations
except to live.
She is both humble and merciless
and more special than she realizes,
and I celebrate her tenacity . . .
such a little thing
with profound wisdom to impart
unbeknownst to her.
I celebrate by enjoying her
and by taking her unconscious wisdom
to heart. ♥
Charlotte’s Web ❤️ a beloved tale. Thanks for the reminder, dear Swallow.
I thank you,
dear Joseph,
that you see me . . .♥
As much as possible! in the morning when opening the blinds, celebrating whatever weather shows up, being grateful for the day ahead, for the joy to my eyes in front of me, for the extraordinary gift of a small meditation room inside my flat to sit every morning and once a week together with some dear kindred hearts; for the fresh bread or cereals with fresh fruits from the garden and sometimes a little luxory of added vanilla; celebrating the walk to my office every morning alongside a river, joyfully greeting the birds who live there, grateful for their being there; grateful that i have work to earn my living, and may even help other people and this goes on through the day. Not every moment, but often celebrating life with joy and gratefulness for that it is. Thank you for this question.
beautiful reflection, thank you Ose 🙂
You inspire me,
dear Ose . . . ♥
I guess, normaly, I don’t really celebrate those little things, but, the few times I’ve done that was always feeling happy and letting this happiness fill me up and just enjoy the feeling, being grateful for being able to experience those small little things.
Sometimes I feel like I didn’t actually understand the importance of those small things in my life, but, I want to actually see them, to know that they are here and understand that the smallest achievements are what make the big one really happens.
I was told many years ago by a rancher I was working for, Joe if you take care of the small things, the big ones take care of their selves.
The more you look,
dear Thaina,
the more you see . . . ♥
Some are newer here so I’ll repeat something I’ve mentioned before. After reading Ross Gay’s Book of Delights I started to keep a list each day in my journal headed “today’s delights”. I use a different color of ink and play with stencils to decorate that corner of the page. I make that commitment every morning, to seek and find delights in each day. I always do.
I started what was going to be a blog series this year to write about my delights. I’ve missed a few months [shrug, life] and this is a reminder to write about July’s delights before month’s end. Just a few:
The sweet floral scent of the tayberry rhubarb jam I made recently.
The many shades and shapes and textures of all the greens in my neighborhood, from plants to shrubs to trees in the park we live by.
The beautiful colors courtesy of my neighbor who makes the corner into our culdesac an explosion of gorgeous flowers.
Seeing six great blue herons in a group, which we never see–they’re always standing alone, fishing in the inlet.
In a new pop-up museum in downtown, admiring a beautiful great blue heron print by an artist with heritage from the tribe whose lands I’m on, coming home to look up more about him, and discovering I could buy a print of the piece.
Resonant tones of our wind chimes and similar ones at the neighbor’s house when a breeze kicks up.
The ritual of my sweetheart bringing me a cup of hot coffee first thing in the morning and sitting together for a while to start our day.
Little things enrich every day as long as we notice them.
My January blog post that discusses this at greater length: https://biketoworkbarb.blogspot.com/2025/01/january-delights.html
What a lovely post,
dear Barb,
topped off with the delicious dessert
of your blog post.
It seems so apropos
to buy the blue heron print
to celebrate the day,
the bird,
and the man’s artwork.
Thank you for this breath of fresh air. ♥
I celebrate life. That is a big thing that encompasses all of the little things that add up to life.
I often don’t think to celebrate the little things in life. I am too busy worrying about tomorrow!
I will pay attention today and celebrate all the goodness in my life. Yes, there are challenges but there is also so much good.
Happy day, everyone!
I often savor the “little things” but I seldom celebrate them. I am grateful for them.
I’m doing it right now. Sitting outside on a summer morning having my coffee.
🙂
By being present to them and allowing myself to be surprised by them.
Today I notice how much context affects the “little things.” For example, Loc mentioned a thunderstorm leading to the electricity going out, which resulted in a celebration of light and visibility from candles. This morning I notice that my body is hungry. It wants energy in the form of food, which I will then use to live on this day. If my body was dying it would not want food, or even water. The simple sensation of hunger is a sign that I have life. I notice this within the context of the dying. I can celebrate that my body is alive and healthy by using my energy well.
🌞
. . . something we don’t often think of,
dear Drea.
I continue to hold you in my heart
as you navigate this precious journey
with love . . . ♥
Bless you, dear Drea
There are a lot of little ways to celebrate. Saying thank you, using the object respectfully, not take it for granted, and don’t mis use.
Thank you for all the thoughts and reflections I read daily. You all are woven into the fabric of my life.
This comment made me go looking for a poem I remembered reading on A Year of Being Here. I thought it was this one: Jean-Paul de Dadelsen, “Exercise for the Evening” https://www.ayearofbeinghere.com/2014/03/jean-paul-de-dadelsen-exercise-for.html, then realized I was thinking of this one: https://www.ayearofbeinghere.com/2014/01/michael-cope-tea-ceremony.html.
Truly, there are no little things.
“Tea Ceremony”
Michael Cope
To this cup, I pay homage.
To the designer of this cup,
to the workers who made this cup,
who mined the ores, I pay homage.
To the workers who dug the clay,
ground the glazes, the farmers
who fed those workers I pay homage.
To the great cycles which give us
clean air, clear water, to all living things,
all the earth, I pay homage.
To this tea, I pay homage.
To the growth in the bud,
to the cells exchanging
air, water and light, I pay homage.
to the workers who grew, tended,
picked the tea, who packed, transported,
distributed the tea, I pay homage.
To the great cycles which give us
clean air, clear water, to all living things,
all the earth, I pay homage.
To this water, I pay homage.
To the rain which falls,
to the rivers, the dams,
the builders and plumbers, I pay homage.
To the oceans and the sun,
the great trade winds
and the world’s turning, I pay homage.
To all the cycles which bring us
clean air, clear water, to all living things,
all the earth, I pay homage.
Thank you thank you for both
Thank you Barb.
Yes, I gain insight and feel connected by these beautiful responses.
I do too,
dear Claire . . . ♥
Yes, using the object respectfully creates a different feel for “stuff,” I think. I have noticed that in other cultures, and sometimes here, people have fewer objects, but each object has more significance and care in it. Thank you Yram.
I like the “little things” in life and also don’t think they are so little. Every little thing counts, and I’m happy to notice everything I can and appreciate it in some way. Saying thank you in the best form for whatever it is. Sometimes it’s verbal, sometimes I just feel it in my heart, sometimes it’s sharing a bite of a delicious meal. We can find so many little things to be thankful for if we pay attention.
“Saying thank you in the best form for whatever it is. Sometimes it’s verbal, sometimes I just feel it in my heart” – that really resonates with me, thank you Sunnypatti.
The little things add up to make up the patterns of our lives. And that’s a pretty big deal.