RaindropsOnRosesAndWhiskersOnKittens

I collect words- wise words, beautiful words, funny words, true words, words that resonate, like these:

“The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.”

The poet, Kahlil Gibran, wrote these words, and I just love them, because I think they are hopeful, promising that in spite of (or perhaps because of) times of hardship, our appreciation for all that is good and beautiful intensifies.

This whole idea of choosing to embrace the moment is a powerful one, because on the days when I remember to stop for just a minute- stop working, stop thinking, stop worrying, stop talking, stop planning and rushing and moving, just stop and look around me- I realize how much awesomeness I take for granted.

And so, in an attempt at being more aware of the awesomeness around me, an attempt at being consciously grateful for all the little things that make an okay day good, and a good day great, I’ve started compiling an ever-growing list of my favourite things.

This is it…so far:

·         waking up to the sound of singing birds

·         fresh cut flowers 

·         smiling at strangers

·         accidental naps, especially on the beach in the shade with a slight breeze

·         chocolate

·         a cup of earl grey tea in the morning

·         encountering wildlife (of the cute and cuddly variety; not the big and deadly variety) while out on morning runs or walks or bike rides

·         good solid hugs and good solid handshakes

·         anything cooked with truffle oil

·         a baby’s laugh

·         freshly washed sheets

·         animal print, in pretty much any and every capacity (in moderation....of course)

·         the moment when I realize beautiful shoes that I am salivating over are my size and half price

·         gigantic earrings, colourful scarves and clangy bangles (perhaps, deep down, I am a gypsy!)

·         a doggie’s sigh when you are not giving him enough attention

·         the feel of clay on my hands

·         the power of forgiveness

·         music

• subcategories include....
• hitting shuffle on the ipod and not having one song that I need to skip because they are all excellent
• discovering new music
• rediscovering music that I haven't heard in forever and forgot how good it was
• the wonderful connection between memory and music
• live music (subsubcategory...the moment a musician plays my absolute most favourite song that I have been waiting to hear all night)

·         singing in the car...at full volume....with choreography

·         driving down a coastal highway, especially in the evening, as the sun goes down

·         driving past a group of tight little cycling asses wearing tight little cycling shorts

·         any and all forms of brunch, as long as it involves both sweet and savoury, and is in the company of people I love (as I have discovered that you need to have a certain level of emotional intimacy with someone before you go out with them for breakfast or invite them to your house for breakfast)

·         tiramisu

·         Audrey Hepburn singing Moon River http://youtu.be/JzSYDrW6moQ, and the last few scenes of Amelie http://youtu.be/l4SJD-DWM1A

·         scenes in books and movies where boys confess their undying love for the right girl, like, for example, Jonny Lee Miller's Edmund finally admitting his love for Fanny in Mansfield Park http://youtu.be/XZZmD369l98

·         herb gardens

·         prosecco

·         creating and maintaining new traditions 

·         Ombra Mai Fu sung by David Daniels http://youtu.be/suZrhT-3yes

·         yogourt and green onion Kettle Chips- best snack ever!

·         cooking classes, cooking clubs, open kitchens, dinner parties, and pretty much any moment when good people, good food and good wine are combined together

·         spontaneous, serendipitous adventures

·         watching a pelican fly low, fly high, circle and dive straight down for the catch

·         walking down a residential street close to dinnertime and catching a whiff of the cooking coming out of all the different houses

·         dancing at weddings with little elderly gentlemen and/or excited little girls

·         cleaning out the fridge (the most rewarding household chore)

·         sitting in a slice of sun with a cup of tea and my journal

·         hearing other people's stories

·         walking & talking with my sister, watching movies with my brother, shopping with my mother, gardening with my father, swimming with Opa, drinking coffee with Oma, and playing hide & seek or dancing or reading a book or doing pretty much anything with my teensy weensy little nephew

·         witnessing the "Aha!" moment of a student (finally understanding after working so hard is such a beautiful thing)

·         reading badly translated product labels

·         stumbling upon a good bookstore, a cute cafe or a unique little shop (it always feels like I've found a secret treasure)

·         the energy, noise, colour and creativity of markets

·         Jeopardy, especially when I “bet” 9 million dollars in Final Jeopardy and win (though I can’t help but roll my eyes a little at the lameness of Alex Trebek)

·         fresh, local, seasonal fruit

·         friendship

• subcategories include
• meeting friends in cities where neither of us live
• meeting friends that I haven't seen in years and it being so natural and comfortable that it feels like we just saw each other last week
• inside jokes, secrets and allowing someone I trust to tell me what they see when I don't see it myself

·         books that change me

·         having my sister as one of my best friends in the world (you've got to admit...that is a rare and beautiful gift!)

·         overhearing little kids talk to themselves or sing made up songs while they are playing on their own

·         sending and receiving letters by snail mail

·         daydreaming

·         kissing (teenage make-out style)

·         a good glass of scotch

·         pink skies

·         the moment when Baby Q wakes up from a nap, looks at me and smiles sleepily, like he is thinking "Thank goodness you are here!"

·         epiphanies

To be continued, I suspect, as there is, after all, so much more awesomeness to come....