I have a weekly vice of a glass bottle of Mexican Coca-Cola. It is bottled in Mexico, hence our family nickname for it. Aren't we intelligent? The taste is better than the plastic one of the States because pressed sand tastes better than oil-produced plastic. The sweetener is cane sugar, not yucky high fructose corn syrup. The glass shape is pretty and easy to grip. It is charming to look at. Inviting. Old School.
When I deposited money at the bank two days ago, I made certain to retain two one dollar bills, so I would be ready to buy my unhealthy addiction on the way home from Wednesday morning Laughter Yoga. I drank the soda with left overs from last night: Mongolian BBQ at Wasaki's restaurant in the south part of Arcata. As this was not quite enough to satiate my hunger, I also fried a stone ground corn tortilla and filled it with Daiya non-dairy cheddar cheese. Then, I sat down and started reading The New York Times Magazine article about art becoming a necessity only if it related to current worldly events, or gave a 'message' that would cram more personal growth down your throat.
This got me thinking about Duncan's Somersault. I keep this scene in my mind's catalogue under 'events that keep me an appreciator of the pleasures of the simple things in life'.
Once a year, at the K-8th grade charter school that my boys attended, there was a wonderful Talent Show. Wonderful in talent, but more so because of the wildly passionate, supportive audience of parents and staff.
Duncan, age six, got up on stage in his new white belt karate uniform. Laying out a yoga mat, he crouched down, tucked his head, and did a somersault. Then, he got up and bowed to the crowd. As we did for every act, we clapped, cheered, and stomped our feet in appreciation. He rolled back up his mat, and left the stage as the noise continued.
He was not Pavarotti's granddaughter wowing us with perfect pitch opera, not a young Michael Jackson belting out ABC 123, nor a twelve year old addressing the UN about Climate Change. He was our Duncan, doing his thing.
While you go about our life dreaming of the big things you are missing out on, remember to:
relish your mini vices
taste the good food in your mouth
keep a running list of simple pleasures in your life
Please share in the comment section below what your good stuff is.
One of the best ways to experience a simple pleasure that is a virtue, not a vice is massage.
Maximize your relaxation:
Heather Leigh,
Simple Lover of Simple Pleasures
Awww. I remember that, too!
ReplyDelete-- Duncan's mom