Simple Joys

Welcome to Simple Joys on Chief 187 Chatter. As summer begins to wind down, the darkness starts to overtake sunlight for the majority of the day, and my mood begins to deteriorate because of these facts, I plan to up my awareness to be receptive to Simple Joys. I am one of those people who has self-diagnosed herself as having Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.). Continuing to add weapons in my arsenal to combat the annoying effects of the condition are vital to my survival through the long months with little natural sunlight. Special light bulbs, exercise, social commitments, and eating right have all helped to make my disorder manageable. With the addition of blogging last year, I found winter couldn’t even dampen my spirits more than a few hours at a time here and there. Writing, it would seem, is a catharsis. And finally, when I added Simple Joys to the lineup of weekly blogs, my days were spent in a constant pleasing quest to find the Simple Joys that meet me each day. That has done more for me than anything! So I urge you to start reading this weekly feature, and, if you are so inclined, start making notes about your own Simple Joys, either written or mental, so you, two, can feel the benefits they bring. Now, without further ado, are this week’s Simple Joys.

Baseball. All summer my children and I rushed from one commitment to the next. From swim team practice to Karate to swim meets, we were in the car a lot and constantly on the move. It was a truly rewarding summer as much fun was had. But once swim team ended for the season and a couple more weeks of summer vacation stretched before us, the children and I found we had more time to just play outside in the backyard. Our favorite go to activity when we have a block of time stretched before us is playing a friendly and lopsided game of America’s favorite pastime, Baseball. Seeing my boys hit the ball I pitch, run whilst giggling all around the bases with me “trying” to tag them out, and their excitement upon “earning” a homerun against Mommy is a Simple Joy that makes me proud to be an American and these children’s mother once again.

Hand Eye Coordination. I’ve written many times about the struggles my oldest son has with everything from handwriting to focusing on homework when he’d rather do other things, and his weak hand muscles. He is a perfectly normal, happy, and healthy little boy who just hasn’t been very coordinated when it came to sports. But, two weeks after his ninth birthday, playing a friendly and relaxed game of baseball, something he was never good at all in our backyard games, he started hitting more pitched balls than not. Then he began getting more consistent. Strong hits that sent the ball well into the “field”. Granted, we’re not playing with regulation equipment, but the fact he is able to watch the ball and connect in that split timing makes me overwhelmed with joy. Now the boy is expressing interest in joining Little League. This baseball fan is thrilled. Simple Joys for all!

Breakfast. Recently I decided to up the ante on my efforts to lose weight healthfully. I know to eat in moderation and steer clear of white flour and sugar as a rule. Lean proteins keep me energized while complex carbohydrates not only keep me fuller longer, but satisfy my cravings for certain foods. I found one of my favorite things to eat for breakfast is the insanely delicious combination of a scrambled egg with salsa and 2 slices of turkey bacon. I eat this with a glass of low salt V8 juice and feel satiated and read to start my action-packed day. Finding a delicious and nutritious breakfast that I love is a Simple Joy I can revisit often!

Fast Friends. Professional photographs were requested of me by one of my websites so I made a cold call to a local photographer near my home. We discussed my needs and set up an appointment. Upon getting my hair and makeup professionally done, I met the photographer at her studio. The first forty pictures we took I hated. Nothing was right but we both agreed we had just started and things would get better. The photographer, Heidi of Images of Heidi, is a direct person with a dynamic personality. Our outlook on life, sense of humor, and personalities gelled instantly and we were simply having fun. The stress melted away for me, the shoot became a blast, and picture after picture revealed the real me in all of my varied forms. I was more than thrilled with the end results and am overjoyed that I made that faithful phone call. Not only am I going to score outrageously awesome pictures, but I became fast friends with a fantastic and talented woman. These Simple Joys are priceless!

Life is volatile. In the past week I’ve witnessed everything from an earthquake in the East Coast that affected my area to a strong and serious Hurricane, Irene, that tried to ravage my territory. My numbers at Chief 187 Chatter, for whatever reason, have declined recently, yet my career has picked up pace considerably with lucrative offers. But, no matter what the news, situation, or stress that seems all-consuming, taking time out to experience the Simple Joys that life has to offer at every turn makes everything tolerable and even enjoyable. The secret is knowing that Simple Joys always exist, even in devastating times, if you only seek them out and are receptive to them. I encourage you to find the Simple Joys all around you.

Please join me tomorrow as I wax poetic on yet another topic on my freestyle Wednesday.