Simple Joys

Welcome to Simple Joys on Chief 187™Chatter.

Some of my long-time readers may wonder why I repeat myself so much in my weekly series blogs. It’s not that my brain is addled (yet) or that I think yours is, but I’m trying to be hyper-aware of new readers.

In addition, as this is my personal blog, a lot of the lessons I’m imparting are for me to learn and when it comes to me teaching me a lesson, I’m a little thick-skulled.

Simple Joys has been a feature here at Chief 187™Chatter for a little over a year. The weekly post is a fantastic way for me to check my priorities, concentrate on the positive and realize, no matter how difficult my week has been, there has been joy… a lot of it.

For those of you who are unfamiliar, need it drilled into their head, or are simply in a dark place, Simple Joys are the little times throughout your day that bring a smile, a feeling of peace or love, induce raucous laughter or a chuckle, or just make you feel good, even if it is fleeting.

When a person identifies a Simple Joy in his/her life, then it becomes easier to find more. Eventually finding Simple Joys can morph into creating them as well. As overwhelming and obstacle-laden as experiencing Simple Joys may seem to some, I promise you they are out there for you to indulge.

Start small, lower your expectations, and build on tiny Simple Joys in your day. A funny Facebook picture, a lemonade stand you stop at to support, a walk around the block, or anything else that makes you feel some iota of joy with minimal effort.

Simple Joys beget Simple Joys. Open your mind and your heart and Simple Joys can be a part of your life you recognize from here on out.

And now, without further ado, is this week’s Simple Joys.

Singing. The other day my youngest son and daughter were playing Legos with me (yes, they were playing with me, I’ve told you before how much I adore Legos) and I began to sing.

Rainbows were the topic of conversation and I broke into “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from one of my favorite movies of my childhood The Wizard of Oz.

What was miraculous to me was that although I hadn’t sung the song in over 25 years, I remembered every lyric (a true accomplishment for me who fudges every song I ever warble)!

The Simple Joy was a combination of remembering the lyrics and having my children quietly listen to me sing/share this song .

Scrimmage. Last week my oldest boy’s Little League baseball team participated in a scrimmage with another hometown team. I had to take my younger son to his t-ball practice so my husband kept me up-to-date with the score and our son’s performance.

Toward the end of the evening I received a text that our boy had hit a double! Moments later I was texted that he was able to come home! That was the first run of the season for my boy!

Even though I didn’t see it live, it was nonetheless a Simple Joy for him to perform so well and for technology to help me be a part of it in real time.

Coaching. At the beginning of the Little League season I received a phone call asking me to coach my boy’s T-ball team. Having no experience, a two-year-old underfoot, and my crazy work schedule, I declined.

I had filled out the volunteer form allowing me to be hands-on with the children should they need me.

Well, each practice I have been helping (without poaching) the coach rally the troops and, quite frankly, herd them into practicing and playing. It’s so much fun to be a hands-on help and interact with my son and his friends in this way.

Being able to assist the team when I initially didn’t think I’d be able to is a relief of a Simple Joy.

Coach Roger. My eldest son’s coach has been a topic on Simple Joys before. After the Opening Day game the team had won I waxed poetic on how grateful I was he was the team’s coach. A couple of games later, two of which were losses, I am of the same opinion!

Coach Roger is kind, comforting, stirring, and appropriately menacing. It is obvious his heart is in the right place and he cares about the boys on his team.

I watched him gently and encouragingly speak to my son, an obvious novice at the game, and, within moments, coach his veteran players to play cohesively and focus in a stern way.

It is not an easy job to coach children, especially of all different levels and personalities. Coach Roger just seems to naturally have a knack to do it with aplomb.

I overheard Coach Roger tell my child the reason he gets kids is he is a big one himself. Maybe that’s it. Whatever the reason, it continues to be a priceless Simple Joy for him to coach my child and his teammates through this season.

Den Leader. Since my oldest son joined the Cub Scouts I have been his Den Leader. He is now in the last months of his tenure in the Cub Scouts; he is a WEBELOS II.

Now my middle boy is finally (his word, not mine) the correct age to begin Cub Scouts. He is beyond thrilled. And, since my commitment is to my oldest son and our den until February 2013, my husband is stepping up to become Den Leader.

The Simple Joy is once again twofold. First, it is exciting that my baby boy is about to begin a new journey in Scouting.

Second, and perhaps most importantly, my husband has finally finished his all-consuming Master’s Program allowing him to pursue a lifelong desire to continue his service to the Scouts.

For our family, it is a win-win Simple Joy!

Having a loyal readership is a Simple Joy I never tire or take for granted. I am blessed everyday by your pageviews, comments, and shares.

I hope you continue to find your Simple Joys and you stick with me for many more of my Simple Joys to come.

Please join me tomorrow as I wax poetic on yet another topic on Chief 187™Chatter.