The Small Things....

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I have this friend who hasn't exaclty had the happiest life a person could have. You could say that life for him has been utterly chaotic and wholly unpredictable. His life seems to have too many “downs” more than they do “ups”. As one of his best friends, I have been there for him. Through out all of the calamites and maladies that make his life all so very interesting, he has managed to remain sane by remembering the small things in life.

For him, it's listening to music. For me, it’s taking in the smell of the ocean breeze as I stand near the ocean. Or maybe enjoying the sunset or sunrise. There's something profound about the very sight of the Sun's rays gradually reaching the surface of the Earth in the morning or it’s plodding retreat at dusk. It makes me think and wonder about my insignificant existence.

There's also something very special about drinking a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter morning. It would be a sin to forget the marshmallows.

Then there are also the moments I have with people. Those moments with my friends when we enjoy a good laugh while watching something funny on television or maybe a joke someone shared. The moments I have with my little nephew as we pretend be wrestlers and somehow he wins.( Of course, I pretend to lose to spare the little boy's feelings)

I like it when I'm able to help a person, who is serious need of help. At work, I've help people and whatever seems like a major problem to me, was minor in my eyes. However, when I see the glow they emit when I am able to solve their problem, their expression is priceless. Don't get the impress that I don't like helping people at my job because I do. I think it's what keeps me sane at work. The very joy of helping people accomplish something they thought was almost impossible is priceless.

My friend was right. Life isn't always about having loads of money, having a big house, driving the hottest cars, going to every known party, acquiring the latest fashion or traveling extensively. Life can be enjoyable when we don't overlook the small things and it doesn't require a lot of money. All you need is something simple and free. It could be looking at the sunset, drinking hot chocolate, staying up all night with your friends, reading a good book, helping a person discover the wonders of the Internet, helping a student with research for a paper the day before it's due, those little hand wipes you get from a restaurant after your meal, the smell of bacon in the morning(that's nonexistent at my house), and eating warm chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven.

The things I described require little or no money, but they require appreciation and acknowledgement. A person will never know when some unforeseen occurrence forfeits your opportunity and ability to experience such things.