There are always lessons. It requires paying attention. For me, it means looking up, gazing down, and breathing in the present. In the last month, the cadence of life beats slow and its allowed me to digest the rhythm around me. Since it is summer, I’ve spent many of my days with my 7- year-old girl. It is true what they say about 7. It is a magical age littered with pleasure in the simple things.
A few days ago, we ventured to the local Dave & Busters, the mecca arcade and game place for little and big kids. My daughter loves collecting tickets. With each punch, press, touch, she laughed, got excited and kept looking at the mouth of the game to see how many tickets would spill out. Her eyes filled with wonder and she sank her whole self in the emotion. Later that day, I confessed to my husband that it was amazing how acquiring tickets at the arcade could induce so much joy. Happiness comes in the most mundane and ordinary beats.
On our way home, we listened to Phillip Phillips album as she belted out the lyrics to Home. We were both dancing and singing and I not only caught her smile in my mirror, but I also felt my own mouth turning to corner of joy. You know those moments, when everything beats as it should? There is no other thought but the one that is happening as you are experiencing it. I thought to myself, this is what constitutes living in the present.
The weekend pace also has slowed here. I can name countless afternoons where the three of us crawled into our bed, grabbed our respective books, and read together. Even though quiet surrounded us, I sensed a texture to this time. One filled with no complexities, but with clarity. The three of us after reading dozed into an afternoon nap. I caught myself waking up early and watching my daughter breathe. Observing how her chest moved up and down, I felt grateful witnessing the peace that glistened on her face. Another moment where I felt myself engaged with what was right in front of me.
The simple life. It means clenching and grasping and paying attention to whatever is in front of you.
My 7-year- old taught me that lesson this summer.
Welcome! I am a lawyer turned freelance writer, essayist, and editor. On staff at Literary Mama and the co-founder and co-editor of the literary journal, The Sunlight Press, my essays and reported work have appeared in The Washington Post, The Lily, Saveur, Civil Eats, Brain, Child, ESPN and elsewhere. I am currently at work on a memoir on grief and culture and how it provides perspective on life’s ordinary graces. I invite you to appreciate the ordinary with me. I hope my daily practice of seeing the magic in the mundane helps you celebrate and find more of these moments in your life too.
I think we can learn so much from our children in terms of enjoying life and just appreciating all those things that seem so small and irrelevant to us as adults. I can relate very much to your daughter’s joy in seeing those game tickets. I mean, I don’t feel that joy, but my son does. I still remember how ecstatic he’d get when a piece of junk mail comes in under his name! I am not sure when and how all of that changes, but I would be curious to trace our steps backward and see just what turned us into adults who worry and miss those small joys.
what a great thing you learned, it’s true that we learn so much from our kids by just living and enjoying. I know my best days are when I just enjoy each and every moment…great post babe.
Happy Saturday SHAREFEST babe.
Beautiful post! It’s so easy to get caught up in the rush, but we all need to savor every moment because it can all be gone in a flash. Thanks for the reminder!
Great post! Looks like Nandini is teaching you some life lessons in her own special way 🙂
Rudri, I think this summer you have found the secret to happiness.
Thank you for the reminder of the simple life. I find that it’s the little things in life that give us the greatest pleasure. When my husband strokes my hair as we watch tv, when my nephews laugh as their popsicles drip down their arms, and as I admire the flowers in my garden….those are the little things that make me happy.
Thanks for sharing your post on SITSSharefest.
daisy
What a lovely post. August does slow us down if we listen to it, doesn’t it? Scrambling onto a bed together to read? Yum. That you sense a texture to these times? I love the way you put that. So poetic.
How beautifully put: “when everything beats as it should” . What a great reminder to pay attention and enjoy (especially) the simple moments in our lives.
I definitely agree with this. I’m to the point in my life where it really doesn’t take much to make me happy. Simple things like resting on a Sunday watching TV or just reading my favorite book (like you). Stopping in from Sharefest!
Way a great lesson! I love those moments where you’re really there and enjoying it.