This is with reference to the quote by Kin Hubbard, American cartoonist, humorist, and journalist, "It is pretty hard to tell what does bring happiness; poverty and wealth have both failed." Most would agree with the perceptiveness of these words. So this leaves us to search for joy and bliss in those seemingly modest and sometimes extremely ordinary things in life, which, if realised and appreciated, illuminate our lives like lights on a festive night.
To me the simple pleasures in our ordinary life are:
- Inhaling the earthy scent that emanates following the first shower of the season.
- Watching birds fluttering around your birdfeeder.
- Sleeping on freshly spread crisp bedsheets at the end of a tiring day.
- Reading your diary, written passionately during the turbulent teenage years.
- Receiving a compliment from someone known to be very critical.
- Finding an old family picture album you hadn't seen for years, while rummaging through a box of clutter.
- Listening to the tinkling of wind chimes on a breezy evening.
- The realisation that somebody understands your point of view.
- Having a baby fall asleep in your arms.
- Hearing the ocean from a conch shell.
- When the whiff of a particular scent takes you back to some memorable time from your past.
- Managing to accomplish something no one thought you could.
- When a really chatty friend rings you up just when you are down or bored.
- An unexpected cloudy spell in the middle of a sunny day.
- Waking up to find new leaves sprouting from your dying plant.
- Doing something good secretly and being found out accidentally.
- When you turn out to be the only person in a group who knows the capital of some less-known country.
- Having salad made from your homegrown vegetables, even though you are not a fan of salads!
- The lightness you feel after sincerely praying to God and unburdening your heart.
- Receiving a hand-made gift from someone and reflecting upon the creativity and time that was put into it, just for you.
- Surprising a total stranger with a random act of kindness.
- The gratefulness you feel when you compare yourself to those less fortunate.
- Winning someone over by voluntarily accepting defeat.
— The writer is a Gulf News Reader's reader.
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