Never Forget the Simple Joys

This morning my young male seahorse, Moya, discovered a piece of mysis that had floated away from the feeding station and lodged on the rocks. His body language needed no translation:

15C02 Moya

I snapped the photo without even thinking about the bigger picture–even though it’s one I’m trying to pay more attention to, of late.

Seahorses live their lives in the moment. They don’t have to worry about earning a living, paying the mortgage, or any of the other immediate worries that plague the human world. Although they’re constantly on the alert, they don’t waste energy worrying over where the next meal will come from. As a result, they see their environment clearly, in ways we humans often fail to do.

For the past few days, I’ve tried to consciously “see” the things around me, with an eye to appreciating sights I might otherwise miss and simple joys that would otherwise get lost in the day-to-day. Here are a few of the things I’ve seen….

A ladybug in the plum tree in my yard:

15D02 Ladybug

 

Baby grapes appearing on the vines in the neighborhood garden I pass on my evening walks:

15D02 Baby grapes on the vine

Aphids lined up on a rosebud like soldiers waiting in their ranks:

15D02 Aphids on rosebud

And the gentle tickle of a cleaner shrimp as it tries to clean me instead of the fish and corals:

15D02 shrimp

Life is rough, and not always happy, but simple joys abound if we simply take the time to recognize them.

Stop and take a look around. Enjoy the taste of your coffee, or the scent of freshly-cut grass on the breeze. Smile at a stranger. Breathe.

14D03 Tulip

And don’t forget to pass it on..or share your observations in the comments. I’d love to know…what simple joy did YOU experience today? 

 

2 thoughts on “Never Forget the Simple Joys

  • April 2, 2015 at 4:47 pm
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    Today I ate food without fearing retaliation from my gallbladder. I slept more easily, because the surgery was behind me and I had the good drugs. People keep checking in on me. I didn’t have to drive to work in the snow.

    • April 3, 2015 at 7:56 pm
      Permalink

      Excellent! I’m so glad to hear that the surgery went well and that you’re healing. Also…not having to drive in snow is ALWAYS good.

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