For several years, I’ve been practicing what I call The Delight of the Day. Each day I watch for moments that inspire a strong feeling of gratitude and joy within me. I mentally label the strongest such moment The Delight of the Day. The practice encourages what psychologists call “positive scanning.” I’m waiting for good things to happen and, when they do, I notice and celebrate them.
For several months I’ve been reading Liv Lane’s blog and enjoying her Friday “Little Bliss List.” I recently realized that I could participate by sharing my Delights. (This has the added benefit of encouraging me to write them down and archive them. It’s a win-win!
Here are my Delights for this week:
successfully using my iPad to make art (saved and shared)! Many of my online art heroines talk about the benefits of making art every day. It’s easy to use “too much trouble to get the paint out” as an excuse. I carry an iPad with me everywhere. It’s a different medium, but it’s great to play! (Coming soon to my Pinterest: “I paint, therefore I’m in a much better mood.”)
teenagers I love playing with hair dye together. Laughter. Bonding. A little gasping when the bleach got odiferous. An experiment in identity that comes with few repercussions.
a jogger with multicolored lights flashing around the rim of his helmet. The mystery of his approach was fun (what is that?) When I understood what I was seeing, I enjoyed the festive colors. We can do more than light a candle in the darkness – we can create a party!
friendly, helpful folks at my polling place. It’s been a long none-too-polite political season, but folks were smiling and polite as we proceeded through to vote. I love the variety and civility of it.
the idea of Rachael Ray’s Butternut squash mac & cheese. It speaks to me of warmth in the winter. I won’t make it – no one else in my family would eat it, but I can hug the idea.
three young women releasing handmade sky lanterns over the Mississippi. Other folks on the pedestrian bridge stopped to watch, so it became an occasion of beauty and community.
enjoying looking over my first week’s worth of Art Every Day. As I paint I emotionally work my way through the physical losses of the last year, I am focusing on creating textures I can scan and use in more elaborate electronic pieces. Painting feeds my soul.
May you find delight in each day.
