Simple Things

I am basking in the joy of

Simple Things

having spent much of the past few days watching my amaryllis grow, treasuring our tiny Christmas tree, and enjoying watching Gracie’s shadows on the carpet.

“It’s the simple things in your life that make up the bulk of it. The mundane is where we live and we end up missing most of it. We find it again in the silence and in attention of everyday life.”
― Eric Overby, Haiku Poems

The three amaryllis bulbs that I planted are growing, each at their own pace. The largest of the bulbs already has a bud beginning to open along with another bud beginning to emerge. Another bulb is just growing its first leaves. And the slowpoke of the bunch is still thinking about growing some leaves.

I love that they are each so unique. And the fact that they are emerging at different rates means that I will be able to enjoy each bulb’s flowers in their own time.

Messenger

My work is loving the world.
Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird—
    equal seekers of sweetness.
Here the quickening yeast there the blue plums.
Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.

Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?
Am I no longer young, and still not half-perfect? Let me
    keep my mind on what matters,
which is my work,
which is mostly standing still and learning to be
    astonished.
The phoebe, the delphinium.
The sheep in the pasture, and the pasture.
Which is mostly rejoicing, since all the ingredients are here,

which is gratitude, to be given a mind and a heart
    and these body-clothes,
a mouth with which to give shouts of joy
    to the moth and the wren, to the sleepy dug-up clam,
telling them all, over and over, how it is
that we live forever.

   — Mary Oliver
 

Each day the tallest amaryllis changes. One day the bud stem curved in a most delicious way. Today it’s standing up straight and tall. And this morning I was able to see a tiny bit of color in the slowly opening bud.

Such a simple thing, to watch a flower grow, yet it brings me great joy.

Saturday I set up our Christmas tree. Last year I decided that a tiny little artificial tree that Jon had bought for his mom one Christmas when she had moved and wasn’t planning to put up a tree, would be enough for us. It’s small enough that it sits nicely in front of the fireplace. And it took me less than an hour to set up. I use only ornaments that I really like on the tree and love that it’s simple beauty will be there to brighten dark December days.

Though I love the scent of real trees, I hate the thought of cutting down a tree just so that I can enjoy it for a few short weeks.

I treasured our beautiful sunny Saturday, as did Gracie, my cat, who basked in the sunlight pouring through the south facing living room windows. Her perky ear shadows on the carpet caught my eye so I photographed her basking in the light.

What simple things are you enjoying in your life today?

May you walk in beauty.