Enjoying The Little Things

 

• School
• Work
• Church
• Cooking
• Cleaning
• Yard work
• Volunteer projects
• Kids' private sports lessons
• Kids' team sports lessons
• Daily exercise
• Errands
• Etc...

This list is all things that we do as a family on a weekly, if not daily, basis. And, honestly, this list could go on and on. However, that isn't what this post is about; rather this post is about taking time out of all of this to enjoy the little things. I'll be the first to admit that I love to rejoice in my children's successes in sports and school, but those successes fail in comparison to the overwhelming sense of pride that I feel when I see my kids enjoying the little things in life.

 

• Helping a younger sibling read or write
• Following an ant trail down the sidewalk
• Trying a catch a butterfly
• Chasing a rabbit in the yard
• Catching a snake, lizard, or spider to examine it
• Playing a back yard game of kickball
• Setting up an obstacle course in the front yard 
• Running in the rain
• Jumping in puddles
• Splashing in a sprinkler
• Climbing a tree

Happily this list also goes on and on as my kids truly do enjoy the little things in life and are constant reminders to me that I need to do the same. There are several reasons for us to take joy in the simple things, but the most important reason for us to do this is that our kids are watching what we do. If they see us running around nonstop without ever stopping to enjoy the simple things, then they will end up doing the same. I, for one, am not looking forward to the day that my kids decide they are too busy to take times for the little things, for they will only have this time as kids once. Luckily, for those of us that choose to, we are able to revert back to the simplicity of childhood every once in a while by observing and interacting with the children in our lives. Remember, that it is when we appreciate the world at its least pretentious that we are happiest.