simple pleasures

why would simple pleasures even matter?

(especially during The Lockdown)

** link here to the next instalment of breathing for lung strengthening, recovery from illness, asthma, and just feeling good ** 

childhood memories

I, and no doubt many others, learnt rather early in life that to get, or experience, something nice, especially when it wasn't part of the norm, was wonderful indeed. The excitement of it all. I have been reflecting on some of the things that were also part of our young lives that gave so much pleasure, but were regular. Especially in summer when days were longer:

• after tea, the whole neighbourhood of our wee cul-de-sac, and more, were all on our front lawn, playing a game called kingasene, which I think is now bullrush? Into the early darkness of evening. Anyway, the laughter of those nights has always remained in my happy memories. Many decades later, when I went back to look at the house, I was shocked to see that the front lawn had actually been rather small
• and these memories led me, as a young mum, to naturally allow all of the immediate neighbourhood children to congregate on our large front lawn of a summers eve, night after night, to run and play. My next door neighbours loved seeing how happy my young children were
• in summer, as children, we would walk from a quarter of the way down the Bayswater peninsular, up to Narrowneck beach. It was such a long walk, with Mum pushing a couple of children in the pushchair, and us eldest helping to carry everything, including food. In the strong summer sun. But it was special, and we loved it. I often think of all of the things that I know of (my sisters and brother know of  more) that Mum did for her eight children to make life nicer for them. Honestly, my eyes tear up, she was amazing (thanks Mum)
• I remember Dad giving us white bread and dripping, one morning. It was delicious. (when times are truly financially hard, people do eat whatever there is) When I went to stay at my Nanna's (Mum's mother's) farm, when I was young, she gave my cousin and I fresh unused dripping. I thought it was so special. Unused! Fast forward to about mid 2010s, and I was in a car with some other yoga people. All vegetarians. Naturally. The driver had been the youngest of nine (? or thereabouts) and he and I had a very animated and enthusiastic discussion about the deliciousness of bread and dripping and everything about and around it. The others were shocked. (of course)

My early life was one hundred percent different from my life between twelve and seventeen, when I lived with my Beloved Grandparents and Aunt (she is eighteen months older than me). Here I learnt, just by Nanna's kind but firm guidance, and also just by the way that life was lived, how lots of simple everyday pleasures, made for a more pleasurable life. Or, a nice life. Of ease. And love. And laughter. 

Of course there was love and laughter in the years prior. But, and this is a big but. I had been the eldest of five in a family where there was very little money, and as the eldest I was Mum's right hand man. Meaning that I worked heaps. I am not complaining, not at all. I hated seeing how hard Mum had to work and seeing her go to work afternoons and evenings. I wanted to help her as much as I could. I can still remember the day that I made the decision to do so. I was probably five.

And that was, in it's way, also a pleasure decision, because it made me feel better in my heart. The best form of pleasure, to me, is always from the heart.

lots of simple pleasures can make for a more happy life

and amazingly, this is what has been happening in The Lockdown

So, in This Lockdown, so many people, especially in families, are doing their best to instil the pleasure aspect, with games and singing (we are a singing nation), cooking, fitness, and laughter. 

A lot of little things have been reinstated into our lives. It is so wonderful. I live alone so yeah, a lot of what is going on is not happening so much for me. But one of my daughters facetimes me each day. I suspect it's sneakily to check up on me, which is rather lovely. But she also does it when her baby is awake, and whom I've scarcely held due to the virus. But amazingly, baby does know my voice and has even smiled when I talk to her on our calls. Now this is not a simple pleasure, it's a very big one. I feel as though my heart is going to burst. 

I have, for some years now, been installing some rather minor pleasures into my daily life. These are just little things which make life nicer, and that matter to me. 

• fresh air into the home as soon as I wake up
• lights out as I watch sunset. The sunsets where I live are rather glorious
• I keep nearly all of the lights out after, burn a stick of nice incense, and have my sheets turned back, about an hour or so before bed
• minimalist furniture and bits and pieces, as this makes me feel more peaceful than a cluttered home
• I keep in touch with a few close friends and this makes me happy

The point is, really, to have little things which culminatively, make our life nicer. Of course you have your own special simple rituals for this. 

And right now is a good time to look at this, I feel. What can we do that is simple and nice, that adds pleasure value to our life?