Pastimes and Easy Pleasures
As I walked along the creek’s bank this afternoon, I thought about all the fishermen who had stood there at the start of trout season last month, braving a cold rainy day, just for the fun of it.
The first day of trout season is a big deal in these parts. The local parks overflow with tents and the fragrance of grilled foods, and even if they have to bundle up in winter coats, families turn out in droves just to launch the season.
Now that the hubbub has died, fishing turns into a much more peaceful pleasure, a chance to get away into the solace of nature, to stand in hip boots in the stream, watching the water flow by, thinking your thoughts, relaxing.
We need that. We need the pastimes and easy pleasures that let us unwind and get into a leisurely flow. We need the spaces they provide for our tensions to untangle, for the dreamy free flow of thoughts, away from our routines and obligations. They’re like mini-vacations for the mind and spirit, refreshing and restoring us and making us whole.
I’m not talking about passive relaxation where you zone out in front of the TV. I’m talking about engaging in an activity that you genuinely enjoy, just for its own sake. The key word is “engaging.” I’m talking about easy pleasures and fun: A sport, a hobby, the pursuit of an interest.
If you don’t have one, get one. Think about the kinds of things you enjoyed doing when you were a kid, the things you fantasize about doing when you retire. Browse through the magazine section at a local bookstore and see what grabs your attention.
If you know exactly what your favorite pastime or pleasure is, make time for it. Build hours for it into your week and keep these hours as a sacred trust. You owe it to yourself. It will make you a richer, happier, healthier you.
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live .love ;laugh talk about a short story …lol
You know Susan, just about everyone I’m reading these days sums up their work pretty much the same way… after I’ve read all their other stuff, of course. LOL In fact, two of my favorite reads – Abraham and Dr. Robert Anthony – need only two to three words
BE HAPPY! The third word is often important to throw in because we’re so programmed for delayed gratification. What is that third word?
NOW!
So putting it all together, the entire purpose of life is to BE HAPPY NOW! And when you get that part right, the Universe will reward you by sending you MORE stuff about which to BE HAPPY NOW!
The bottom line reason why anyone does anything is so that they can BE HAPPY NOW. So just cut to the chase – actually stop chasing all the other people, places and things you think will bring you happiness – and just BE HAPPY NOW. Then all those people, places and things will start chasing YOU!
BE HAPPY NOW!
All the best from Toronto,
Russ