I am never in pursuit of happiness, happiness finds me at every corner. When I go to the park to see the bonsai trees by the pond and find the pond unexpectedly filled with waterlilies my heart breaks into a dance. Such is the happiness one finds everyday in the simple things around us. Sitting by the pond just to enjoy the scene I sight a gold fish, then a blue shimmering tail like angel wings, my heart skips a beat and it is as if heaven engineered a day full of happiness just for me. A simple everyday thing like a walk in the park can bring so much happiness to me.
The joy of living is in living life as it comes and grabbing with both hands the beautiful moments it offers you. I believe that one shouldn't collect too much of any thing, a heavy burden makes the journey painful and slow. Traveling light through life helps me experience the priceless freedom that comes with it.
The gift of sight is what makes this life so amazing. The blue skies and puffy white clouds are enough to make me smile. Throw in an amazing dark eagle like this one into the picture and my day is made. I love to sprawl myself on the green grass in the park, lie on my back feel the springy life below me, the beautiful greenery and flowers around, a tiny bug here a butterfly there fill my heart with such joy that I forget the worries of life and feel like I am floating in the air on the wings of beauty and tranquility.
When I can capture the beauty that captivates me I feel that this is what life is all about. It isn't about making money or struggling to be ahead in this rat race we have made of life. You don't need a ton of money to be happy, you need an eye for beauty and make the time to let down your hair and smell the roses. There would be no stress, no worry or anxiety if we took life in our stride and focused on the best moments it offers us each day.
Holding the hands of my dearest and walking with him in the break of dawn, enjoying the mist which blankets the furthest spaces and helps me be in the moment. I feel the gentle breeze touch my face and experience its silken touch. It is like Heaven on Earth. There is no noise except the sound of nature waking up to another fruitful day. We don't talk, we just walk hand in hand as we meditate on what we have decided to meditate that morning. This oneness with nature eliminates the need for words. The warmth of our hands, the pressure we choose to apply, the soft warmth of the skin is enough to communicate what needs to be communicated.
The freshness of the air I breathe is like a heady perfume, it fills me with new energy to face the day ahead of me. I take in every detail of the tree, the leaf, the birdsong, the sound of wind and the calmness that fills my mind makes me feel like a still waters, clear, unshaken and pure.
Another thing that brings me so much joy is when I paint, or create something with my hands. I often work with things that would end up in the landfill and try to make it a thing of beauty. Plastic waste is my favorite. However, here is an earthen pot which had lost its sheen and was a sad sight to behold. I had planted a colorful coleus in it which led to the top layer peeling away. I gave this pot a good scrub with sandpaper and created this woman's face with clay. I gave it a copper finish and now this once sad looking pot has got a new life.
When I create something it fills me with so much joy and energy that I want to keep on creating more. It is as if a source of inspiration is birthed with one creation. I feel a personal attachment to everything I create and a feeling of contentment for having saved one piece of waste from being added to the landfill fills me. My creation may not be a masterpiece, it doesn't have to be acknowledged as such. To me it is my piece of creation and I am its master and that is enough for me. I seek not to be accepted and adored, I adore and accept all things around me. This simplicity of thought makes life almost perfect for me.
My garden is my precious creation, it is my space of perfect peace and joy. Everything there is nurtured with love and care. Each flower, each budding leaf, each drop of dew that hangs on to them makes me stop and take a deep breath. This is my place of worship, my place of prayer and meditation. This is my place of healing, my chance of mothering. Just looking at this succulent Echeveria Perle von Nurnberg and the number of pups/babies that I have propagated from leaves, cuttings and from small cuts on the stem have all made me feel so proud. Just seeing how my plants grow and how they produce fruits or flowers makes me feel like a proud parent looking at her newborn. What a beauty this succulent is, a plant that is a rose! I hope you like it.
What greater joy is there than to love, whether it is my boys, or my fur babies or my plants love is love. It is a fulfilling feeling to love and nurture something. I spend so much time in my garden because it fills me with peace. I pray here, I sit and have a chat with my plants, I sing to them at times, I meditate as I try to cover my 7000 steps each day. The joy , the joy that I find in all these little things makes my life so beautiful. I often forget my physical ailments or my limitations.
"All things are possible to him who believes" Mark 9:23
This is my motto in life. I believe life is simple, basic necessities, positive thoughts and the ability to see beauty in everything and everyone around us makes life worth living.
This has never failed me. I haven't always thought this way, so this transformation that happened in me has made my life on Earth one amazing adventure.
All images used in this blog were photographed by me and are among my prized personal possessions.
Thanks for taking the time to read. Have a great day!
This post is my submission for [this](@minimalistliving/a-simple-and-thoughtful-life-contest . If minimalistic way of life is yours please join in and more color to this contest.