Simple Joys

Welcome to Simple Joys on Chief 187™Chatter.

It seems at every turn there are forces trying to rob us of our sanity and our serenity. If we are always reactionary we will never find a moment’s peace.

People bait us, situations tempt us to be quick to anger, and myriad occasions can leave us feeling off keel. These times are the perfect storm to keep Simple Joys at bay.

We cannot change others – no matter how much we’d like to try. The only thing we have the power to change is how we react to others, disappointing situations, and the like.

I’ve lived my life angry, frustrated, holding resentments, and allowing others to take up space in my head without paying me rent. It was exhausting, wholly fulfilling, and kept me from enjoying daily doses of Simple Joys.

Unacceptable!

Now I actively try to keep my balance, refuse to allow others to affect me adversely no matter how stupidly they act, and keep the window of opportunity open to Simple Joys to find me.

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

The Wizard of Oz. For a couple of weeks before my daughter’s fourth birthday she became curious about and enamored with The Wizard of Oz.

As a child I watched the annual television showing with my father and was dazzled each and every time it was aired.

I gifted the movie to my daughter for her birthday. Owning the movie and sharing it with my daughter and my sons has brought back wonderful memories as I see the delight in their eyes discovering this classic and timeless film.

Experiencing The Wizard of Oz with my children is a powerful Simple Joy.

Trunk or Treat. The Cub Scouts has provided endless Simple Joys for our family. Last year we experienced our first Trunk or Treat – trick or treating in a controlled environment with decorated car trunks. Eh, either you understand or you have to see it for yourself.

This year we anticipated greatly getting able to don our Halloween costumes collectively as a family to score candy two weeks before the actual holiday.

Our unusually warm weather ceased the day of the Trunk or Treat so my scheduled Greek Goddess costume I deemed too revealing for the temperatures. Within an hour I had fashioned my own costume that would work beautifully in tandem with my husband’s.

Getting another chance at childhood fun at the Trunk or Treat is now an annual and much anticipated Simple Joy.

Dale Jr. Watching NASCAR races while “covering” the race online is part of my job but is truly a joy. A lot of the friends at Drafting the Circuits Facebook page are Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans. I try to keep them updated with every race I cover and feel terribly for them when Dale Jr. doesn’t have a good run or experiences bad luck.

Even though I had personal plans with my family and dear friends on Sunday I was given permission by the hostess to work the race during the party we attended.

I couldn’t watch the race but followed it online via several different sources. It was a banner day to see Dale Jr. in the lead and vying for the win for much of the contest. Unfortunately Dale Jr. was not the victor, he was the runner-up. Regardless, feeling the energy through my computer of his fans’ excitement and will to spur him to victory was an electric Simple Joy.

Milky Way Bars. I’ve always been a Snickers girl. I have always enjoyed the confection with peanuts that “really satisfies”. Milky Way Bars seemed like a Snickers that forgot something.

But this year, after purchasing a variety pack of Mars fun-size candy bars for our early Halloween celebration – Snickers, Milky Way, and Three Musketeer Bars – I tried the Milky Way Bar in earnest.

It is absolutely delicious! Scrumptious! Decadent! Wholly freakin’ great!

I still love Snickers and Snickers PB, but the Milky War Bar is now a Simple Joy I will entertain more when it is around.

My husband. Yes, he’s on the list a lot. I won’t apologize as these are my personal Simple Joys. Each week – each day – my husband finds a way to make me feel sexy and special. He equally hangs on my words and likes to just sit quietly with me. We run in myriad directions with the children and sometimes don’t have a moment alone until bedtime, but I know he is always thinking of me.

Marriage can be the casualty when having a family. It takes a far backseat to deadlines, homework, Karate, and bake sales. But by making our marriage a priority despite the busy lives we lead, we are defying the odds and staying together… happily.

Having my husband by my side is not only my supreme Simple Joy, it is my life.

Amid all of the fun, family time, and festivities, there were major stresses brought on by an individual this past week.
In my past I would have allowed that individual to have a long-lasting adverse effect on me.

I got angry but let it go quickly.

The person was not worth it. At all. By taking away his “power” over my emotions I won.

My Simple Joys were intact and my faith in myself to continue walking on the path to strength, serenity, hope, and peace was unobstructed for the rest of the time.

I hope reading my Simple Joys inspires you to think of all of the Simple Joys you experience in any given week. Whether you write them down like I do, say them aloud, or merely think about them, recognizing Simple Joys is the recipe for inviting more to find you.

Wishing you all a week filled with a multitude of Simple Joys.