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. The more I understand what brings me joy, the more I can drop into it.
I have been glorying in the autumnal changes around me. Now there is a great word I don’t use very often: autumnal. Au-TUM-nal. It sounds like a drumbeat. Here in Minnesota, it is easy to imagine that the drop of each leaf thumps a warning of the cold, blustery snows that are on their way. But first, we get a blast of celebration color. The park across from me is a riot of yellows, oranges, reds, tans and browns. I love the shushing sound the dog makes as she trots through the drying leaves. She pauses to lift her nose in the breeze and breathe in the smells of damp earth, sweaty joggers, and busy squirrels.
At my best, I can respond to change like the dog and the trees. I can sniff what’s different and enjoy its variety. I can make brilliant color of my loss and let go gently, feeling the wind brush by me as it relieves me of a weight. Perhaps it’s time to burrow in and rest.
Some delights from this week:
Watched video of Wendell Berry reading some of his work.
Yellow grapevines against dark green leaves
I worked on my own projects before getting sucked into email.
Leaf prints on the sidewalk
A line of red trees and feeling cool air
Read suggestions for a new way of doing meditation.
