delight! pt. 2
In multiple moments lately, I have noticed myself thinking, “I wish I could take a photo of this moment, or this view, that looks as fabulous and amazing as it actually does right now, in the moment.”
Unless I was a far more practiced and advanced photographer, with a far better camera, that just won’t be happening with many such moments.
Then I think to myself, “I will try to take a brain picture. I will try to remember exactly what the warm, saturated, washing sunlight looks, slanting exactly just so across the yellow-brown hillside, with the layers of mountains stacked up behind it, into the distance as far as you can see. The layers. Yes, I’ll try to remember the layers.”
Etc., etc., etc. This is an actual thought narrative I had with myself on my drive home tonight. (Absolutely off topic!!! The idea of thought narratives, and that some people… just don’t have them???!!?! This is impossible for me to imagine, walking around in your life, without the litany and entertainment and aggravation and delight of your own thoughts constantly speaking to you, and you speaking back, and narrating the scenes in front of you and the problems you are solving and everything else within your orbit! It’s so fascinating to me that some people, presumably, just aren’t built this way, and do not think/self-talk through everything they are seeing, experiencing, and handling. If you are one of these people, what is it like?? Truly. Let me know. In case it is not obvious, I very much have a running narration in my mind, of my life, subconscious and conscious, at all times. And no “hearing voices” accusations, thank you very much! 😂)
Alright, back on track. Driving home, hillside, sunlight, layers…
I love layers. The textures your eyes can take in, when viewing all the angles and contrasts and depth, this is one of my favorite things, visually. I love hillside, upon hillside, upon hillside, covered above with cloud, upon cloud, upon cloud, variations of light and shades and shadows across it all. Late-afternoon sunshine will always be one of my best delights. Colors awash in warmth and summer glow. A view stacked with delights, waiting for you to notice.
This is really my point today: there is so much all around us, ready to delight us. It’s like the Universe is standing, at every turn, with a fistful of cheery flowers and the brightest smile, waiting to see us turn a cartwheel of joy, at her offerings and happiness.
The world is happy and full of love, with every showing of sunny hillside, puffily scattered clouds, and tiny pocket of noticed beauty we are given.
Our job is to do the noticing. This is a tricky task sometimes. Harder some days than others.
Yet it is the path of the life of everyday magic, full of gratitude and soaked with all the novelty and delight possible.
I saw a funny meme online today about grown ups making fun of other grown ups who love glow in the dark stars, and it went like this:
“Saw a tik tok where someone was complaining that their date was 30 yrs old and had glow in the dark stars on their ceiling and I have become enraged.
You are never too old for glow in the dark stars. If you hate whimsy with all your heart, I don’t think we can be friends.”
That last sentence just absolutely got me. I sent it to my sister with tons of laughter emojis and said, “has there ever been a sentence more true for me? Lol”
If you hate whimsy with all your heart, I don’t think we can be friends!
So I’m here to advocate for whimsy. For being full of childlike wonder. For noticing, as much as you can, whenever you remember not to be bogged under by the weight of the world — not to let the muggles get you down, as it were. For delight and joy and tiny treasures of moments and a total embracing of what you love. You do not have to be serious and be un-amused. Be amused! Celebrate every damn moment you feel like celebrating, even if somebody else tells you you’re too old or that’s silly or what’s the point??
It is the whole point. Our lives are interconnected webs of everything-ness, and the delight is the fistful of flowers and the most thrilled smile from the Universe. Take it.
