Simple Joys

Welcome to Simple Joys on Chief 187™Chatter.

What might strike many who are new to this weekly post is how positive my words are. But, if you truly read closely, you’ll see that many weeks I’m “getting by” and “struggling” just like you. The difference is, I refuse to give in to all of that and, instead, forge ahead insisting on finding the Simple Joys that keep my perspective positive.

Many times, and this week is no exception, I find I rejoice in two or three steps forward only to be frustrated by four or five steps back.

We can all identify with that at some point in our lives, and some, if you are like me, more often than not. We try to evolve, change, and grow but wind up staying stagnant and unchanged at critical times when the growth would have benefited our lives.

Even in those adverse times when beating myself up seems the likely next step, I try to stop, distance myself, and look for the Simple Joys that surround me. Because the fact I make progress at all is worthy of celebrating.

Human nature and habits keep me from making great strides at times, but knowing I want to grow and lose the bad habits keeps me motivated to continue to evolve.

Along that journey Simple Joys cushion the blows of seeming failure and setbacks. They bring smiles, moments of hearty laughter, and feelings of inner peace and love.

Without Simple Joys life would be flat out too difficult. I choose to keep Simple Joys in my life.

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

The Finals – Little League. Due to rainouts the Little League season ran into the start of the swim team one. There were some conflicts, but mostly we were able to make time for both during the overlap.

The Final game was once again rained out and rescheduled for a night when my boys had a swim team function, one that my eldest loves and did not want to miss.

We begged off the game which was difficult for all of us as we all wanted to attend the final baseball game of the season.

The swim team function, thankfully, did not take too long and we were able to get our son to his final baseball game, a surprise to all on the team.

When we arrived the score was 2-0 with the other team on top. Our boys looked a little crestfallen. My son ran into the dugout, my husband and I took our regular seats, and the cheering began.

Before we knew it the game was tied and then our team was on top. My son’s team won in the very last inning and we were all rejoicing!

From start to finish, from losses to wins, and from bitter cold to abject heat, our family was there to cheer my son and his teammates on and every single practice and game was truly a Simple Joy.

Swim Meet. Little League is over and now we spend a couple of nights a week at swim meets. Both of my boys are on the team and swim their hearts out. The first meet of the season was on Wednesday last. I was rarely able to attend meets last year due to my daughter’s schedule and my work one.

This year I’m able to do more. What was neat was not only watching my boys perform but knowing so many more of the parents this year.

The coaches, Eddie, Chris, and Louis, and the parents form a neat community for this temporary time period.

Being a part of the swim team is a Simple Joy that is even more fun in this second year.

Fireworks. In our lake community the fireworks are usually held on July 3rd, but for some reason were scheduled for this past Friday. As luck would have it I deemed my daughter “old enough” to stay out late enough to enjoy the show with us and she did so well!

My husband, commenting to my parents, had realized it had been twenty-five years that he had been coming to the lake to watch the display with my family. That may not seem a lot to some, but we were teenagers when we got together.

In those twenty-five years we have created a wonderful life. It is a life not without its roadblocks, accidents, and detours, but one we are proud and grateful. We’ve been married for nearly twenty years of that time and have brought into this world three bright, beautiful, engaging and loving children.

Having a yearly event like the fireworks to look forward (and look back) is a Simple Joy I relish this time of year.

Lost. In some cases getting oneself lost is a Simple Joy in itself. This story is vastly different. At the first home swim meet on Saturday my little girl was lost to me for a short time.

It was, in a word, terrifying. I was watching her. There were throngs of people. I followed her until I thought she returned to our chairs where we were spectating. When I returned to see her a moment later she was gone. Vanished. Lost.

I enlisted the help of my oldest son. He took off like a flash to find her. Some of the mothers I knew well only had to be told quickly “Rosie is missing” and they organized a search. Finally, when two minutes had passed, I called my husband who was working the event. I explained quickly the situation and he immediately took over the loud speaker and announced our problem. He ordered everyone at the meet to stand and find our child.

Within seconds a woman yelled, “We have her, she’s over here!” and I was reunited with my little girl.

My daughter was, thankfully, safe. Losing her, even for a split second, was not a Simple Joy. What was a Simple Joy, however, was watching strangers mobilize a search for a child they didn’t even know. Reuniting with my daughter who was perfectly safe and no worse for the wear was a Simple Joy I hope never to have to experience again.

Napping. Upon returning home, bellies full of food, I put my daughter down for a nap after the swim meet. I was so exhausted from the drama of the morning that I wound up napping on the couch while she slept in her bed. I’m usually “too busy” for such luxuries, but I indulged in this rare Simple Joy and slept peacefully.

These are just excerpts of a jam-packed week with my family in my life. There is much that gets left on the “cutting room floor”. Some of it qualifies for Simple Joys and some of them are the reasons Simple Joys are so necessary in my life.

As I continue to age, evolve, change, and grow, I am beginning to truly understand that it is progress not perfection that keeps me going. That I will never be perfect but I can be better, overall, than I was. And that forgiveness – for others and for myself – is powerful and is a complete and total Simple Joy.

Wishing you all another week filled with Simple Joys!

Please join me tomorrow as I wax poetic about our great nation on its 236th birthday on Freestyle Wednesday on Chief 187™Chatter.