Deliberate everyday observations
are one of the great ‘Little Happiness Ingredients’
Happiness is in the little things, the little moments we stop and pay attention to. It’s all in the details; in the deliberate everyday observations.
This morning, I had a very early start. I don’t like getting up early, but I needed to leave for Birmingham to attend the NAPCE ‘Pastoral Care in the 21st Century‘ Conference. It meant leaving home at 6am (well, in reality I got delayed and didn’t leave until closer to 6.30am: My eldest daughter Charlie started the day with sudden vomiting and wasn’t sure whether she was well enough for her nearly-2-hour commute to school, then once she’d gone to school anyway, I remembered I hadn’t put fuel in the car last night, so ended up with a further delay).
I could have been miserable about having to get up so early, I could have been miserable about Charlie being unwell, I could have been miserable about the long drive and traffic (and roadworks) I was facing.
I chose to be proud of Charlie for deciding to try going to school anyway (and as it turns out, she’s been absolutely fine all day). I chose to look forward to listening to the radio during my journey to Birmingham. I was excited about the Conference, so getting up early wasn’t so much of a big deal.
Then nature gave me a gift:
As I left the house, I saw the most spectacular sunrise I’d seen in a long time. Gorgeous blue sky, fascinating cloud formations, a beautiful, massive orange ball low in the sky just rising from the horizon line, the sky tinted and glowing orange and, as I turned my head to one side, I saw a half moon as well. A joy to behold!
I couldn’t stop to take a photo of the sunrise as I was driving, so this is the closest I could find.
© Copyright Anthony Roy and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence (details http://www.geograph.org.uk/reuse.php?id=358844)
I thought “How lucky am I to actually get to drive at this time in the morning and see this?!” I listened to The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2 as I was driving and was delighted that I had the opportunity to listen to most of the show as I had such a long journey ahead.
Now I generally only drive on long journeys for conferences and to speak at events, I enjoy the driving. I often go to places I haven’t been to before, but even when it’s a place I know, I love the time for contemplation that driving affords me. I am grateful and delighted that I get these opportunities.
I am hugely grateful and rejoice in the fact that I had the opportunity to witness such a glorious start to this day.
Happiness really is in the deliberate everyday observations – the little things we might miss if we weren’t paying attention.
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