Enjoying the moment

I can recall days in my twenties when I lived with a dear friend. Though we lived by the sea, it was a walk to get there. Yet, we gave up a lot to be there. We lived in a small converted one room garage that was often visited by nightly cricket song. And not in an endearing way, but in that the crickets, seeing it was a garage, felt obliged to move right in and sing us to sleep.

Another quiet day. I seem to have many such quiet days strung together. For me, an introvert, it is simply how I choose to live. I realize, for some, it would be hard to go days of self reflection. Though other, I believe, would love a break into such a stream of days.

On my walk today, from which these pictures are from, I thought about happiness in the context of the moment. Some may say now I am in a position to enjoy such moments being on the sea, with leisure time, and days left to orchestrate as I see fit. However, I have always tried to cherish that moment and I certainly have not always lived thus.

 We enjoyed the moments though. We had hot tea and donuts on upturned cardboard boxes for tables, and rations of hand rolled drum cigarettes. There were evenings of reading or solitaire (by hand not computer). Was I any less or more happy then, than now? I don't know I don't think so. I felt a need to be where I was and to have the time to do what I wanted with my days.

Even when I worked I always made sure that my schedule was arranged for my free time. Certainly climbing ladders and careers were attained and achieved by friends and others. For me, however, the moments was always the thing. Perhaps, in many ways, this was the lazy person's way. It may indeed be, I certainly would not run from the moniker 'lazy'. It is best to know one's limits I suppose.

Yet, on this sunny Autumn day, after my long 2 hour walk followed by tea and books by the sea, I have to think, for me at least, I trod the path of the quiet and the moment. It is not for all, but for those of you whomever feel like you are not on the right path, why not give it a try. Take specific moments of your day to be in that moment. If you are at work, make a little ritual of your favorite tea and tea cup and make sure you take that break and savor that moment. If you feel the rat race of hectic family life, maybe make a game of 'the moment' at least once a week. Each family member take that time to really just be for a certain amount of time. If it is for you and you enjoy it, then you can begin stringing those moments together more and more each week. We often make time for exercise or bill paying or even tv, but maybe a time just to be alive and awake in the moment might be a boon to the hectic pace of modern life.

I know, of course, that so many women are mothers or full time business people, and such moments are rare or hard found. Or perhaps, having chosen your path, such moments would seem too quiet or even wasteful. To each their own, I say. I learned a long time ago the world is made up of different people who like different things. I can share what I like and why but I would never presume to prescribe it or dictate to another.

Sometimes, thought, there might be that odd introvert or quiet seeker who might need the little reminder to remember to live in the moment in a quiet way now and again. You can be as happy as the queen of England at High tea in a Palace with percolator coffee and a donut on an upturned box, I know, I have done.