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.
Here are my Delights for this week:
The accordion man on the Stone Arch bridge –
We live near an historic landmark named the Stone Arch bridge. I love spending time in the city park on our end and watching the people who move along the bridge. Every now and then, the accordion man comes. He is an older man with a gray beard and a battered top hat who sits on the bridge and plays his accordion. Finding him there always delights me on several levels:
- he shares his talent openly and generously
- the sound connects us all
- his costume and instrument string a silver thread to the past of the neighborhood
Another walk in beautiful weather – treasuring these last few days of warmth.
Grateful I can set my own sleepy schedule – Jamie Ridler’s love letter to the world reminds me to live with my heart wide open
Finding and re-watching the murmuration video. Sometimes the world is just full of magic.
Listening to a conversation between Patty Digh and Susan Piver about gratitude in the midst of real-life.
Charles and Mary’s beautifully-decorated house. There again were ties to history and generous sharing of talents.
A walk in the cold – it’s time to rediscover the beauty in snow and ice.
May you find delight in each day.
