Enjoyment in the Simplest of Things

Earlier this year, I was waiting to board a flight when I heard the dreaded message, ‘Your flight has been delayed’. As disgruntled, unhappy passengers lined up at the counter to be re-ticketed, my attention was drawn to two young children playing on the carpet. They were the only ones not complaining and the only ones having a good time in spite of the situation.

Sitting on the floor, they reached into a small carry-on bag, pulled out a handful of plastic Mutant Ninja Turtles, and proceeded to enjoy themselves. When they tired of this, they traced the lines of the carpet with their feet. They repeatedly counted the number of colors in each section of the rug. They made up a game by hopping from one pattern to another.

Kids can amuse themselves with almost anything. Toddlers can take out all the pots and pans from the cabinet and play with them for hours.

The lesson adults can learn here is that the world is filled with things for our enjoyment. The trick is to open our eyes and look for them. “On the whole…kids are pretty lucky,” writes Michael Burkett, author of The Dad Zone. “They can find a penny on the sidewalk and feel rich. They can find a fossil-shaped rock and feel like Indiana Jones. Kids find enjoyment in the simplest of things.” You can too, but you have to look for it.
 

Something to Think About

The thing that derails most people is fear. Fear embraces every molecule in your body and prevents you from looking beyond that thing you fear, if you allow it.  Fear prevents joy. Only you can allow someone to steal your joy.
 

Weekly Activity

This week look for different ways to entertain yourself and family members. When you create a successful at-home activity, share it with others via your social media platforms.  Call five past clients and just ask how they are and if there’s anything you can help them with.
 

Words of Wisdom

Only in the darkness can you see the stars. - Martin Luther King Jr.

Our future is our confidence and self-esteem. – Tupac

In all things it is better to hope than to despair. - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Walk on with hope in your heart, and you’ll never walk alone. - Shah Rukh Khan

It’s not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something. May I suggest that it be creating joy for others, sharing what we have for the betterment of person kind, bringing hope to the lost and love to the lonely.  – Leo Buscaglia