Quotes have a way of making you think, of getting you to take a step back and analyze things. If you have been a reader of my blog for a while then you know that quotes frequently pop up as a topic for my blogs. When life is especially stressful applying the thoughts in this simple quote I found can bring peace to an overly processed world.
Watch a sunrise once a year…..there is something absolutely beautiful about getting out of bed and watching the sun peak over the horizon in the morning. This is especially true if you are near a body of water. It is a refreshingly positive way to start the day. Sunsets are beautiful as well, but if it has been a while since you’ve watched the sun rise, set the alarm and partake in the experience. Refreshing!
Put marshmallows in your hot chocolate……this seems so ordinary. So “take off the chill” normal happening in fall or winter. Then it occurred to me that as I got older I would make a cup of instant hot chocolate, but somewhere along the line I stopped dropping in the marshmallows. Forgo the whipped cream that has become commonplace, or worse the “naked” chocolate without any fattening additives, and go back to your youth. Enjoy a few marshmallows melting in your hot chocolate. Yummy!
Lie on your back and look at the stars…..remember being a child, laying on the ground and looking up at the stars, amazed at the pure beauty and wonder of them. What a peaceful way to enjoy the nighttime sky. So many of us live in the city hustle and bustle where there are always lights and we forget to look up at the beauty of the night sky. As you are walking into your house after dark take the time to look up and enjoy glimmer of the moon and stars above you. Heavenly!
Never buy a coffee table you can’t put your feet on…..being that I haven’t owned a coffee table in about thirty-seven years, I can’t say too much in this area. I think this message has more to do with being comfortable your own home. My parents always had a coffee table which held things like coasters, display pieces such as an antique photo viewer, or large coffee table books, but never a person’s feet! As I prepare to downsize and move I am considering re-purposing my mother’s Lane cedar chest (the old fashioned hope chest) into a coffee table. It would be convenient for storing afghans in the living room and could serve dual purpose as a coffee table. Of course having owned reclining couches for several years, the idea of a coffee table may be defunct if I continue with that type of furniture. At the same time the idea of a traditional couch with a table in front has its appeal. Comfy!
Never pass up a chance to jump on a trampoline…..to me this says experience life, be adventurous. While some of us may be able to climb onto and jump on a trampoline, others may not have the physical ability to do so. Don’t let small limitations hold you back from what you can do. Go forth and try new things, take risks. Live life to the fullest and never pass up the opportunity to try something new. Exhilarating!
Don’t overlook life’s small joys while searching for big ones…..this is something way too many of us do, especially when young and career oriented, which often overlaps with the time-filled days of raising children. We get our mind set on not just keeping up with, but also exceeding “the Jones’s,” and in doing so miss out on a lot of life’s simple pleasures. If you find yourself caught up in the rush-rush lifestyle a good way to rejuvenate is to take a walk with a child, or better yet spend an afternoon with one. They will take you on an adventure of all the things you have forgotten to enjoy. The pleasure of blowing bubbles, watching a butterfly, gathering stones from a beach, stomping in mud puddles, gathering fall leaves, the smell of flowers, the rustle of the wind in the trees, the joy of watching birds, or even playing with your shadow. Relaxing!
I hope each of you reading this will take the time to do not only these things, but others that will bring you peace of mind and relaxation from the every day stresses of life.
--- LIFE IS A MELTING POT --- Grace Grogan...Writer, Photographer 