Coming back to reality after a wonderful 2 week beach vacation is not for the faint of heart, let me tell you. It takes a fair amount of sucking-it-up just to get up early on a Monday morning, shower and dress and drive to work. I know you know what I mean. So Sunday afternoon, when I was unpacking and thinking about facing reentry, I started thinking about ways to find good in the every day stuff. By the time my self-imposed pep talk was done I had come up with a Ten On Tuesday topic: 10 Seemingly Ordinary Things That Bring You Joy.
- The sun on my face. While this is great when it’s at the beach, the truth is that walking out my back door to my car and feeling the sunshine (even in the winter) brings me joy.
- A kiss from Dale. Hello, goodbye, good morning, good night, or just because. He kisses me a lot, sometimes it’s a quick peck and sometimes it’s a bit, ummm, more amorous, but it always, always brings me joy.
- An ice cold beer on a hot afternoon. Joy in a glass, my friends.
- Home grown tomatoes. There’s even a song about the joy of home grown tomatoes.
- The sound of the ocean. Last time we were in Mexico Dale recorded the ocean at night on his phone. He plays it for me sometimes and I hear us laughing over the sound of the waves and it brings me right back to the joyful moment.
- Driving my Jeep with the doors off and the roof down. This always brings me joy. One day last week at the beach Dale and I were driving back and Brown Eyed Girl came on the radio. The song was the perfect length to take us from the beach parking lot to our driveway and there was so much joy in those few minutes.
- Laughing. Whether I’m the one laughing or I’m the one making someone else laugh, laughter makes me feel joy.
- Telling someone to have a great day. Do you do this? I do a lot at work and let me tell you – when you say it to someone else, and you say it like you really mean it, it actually comes true for you, too. There’s joy right there.
- Good soap. You can laugh at this if you want but good soap, the kind made by friends, is an ordinary thing and yet it brings me joy. I’m grateful that I can buy good soap and use it every day.
- Taking a photograph. I do this every day and capturing a moment, a smile, a beautiful sunset or an ordinary scene in my home, brings me joy. And then I get to share it and that brings even more joy.
Thinking about joy has made reentry so much easier! I hope you all have lots of ordinary things that bring you joy. Please share your blog post below so we can all ready about them. If you want to subscribe to the weekly Ten On Tuesday email please click here.
What a great way to ease your reentry and an excellent list! I’m afraid my list seems a bit material after reading your entries, but I’m going to revel in the joy I get from a cold beer tonight on the porch, telling passers-by to have a great evening!
What a great way to deal with re-entry, Carole. (Because, yeah. I know just what you mean.) I think the real joys in life . . . come from the ordinary things. (The extraordinary things are the cherry on top!) XO
Performing little unexpected courtesies brings me joy. We were flying on a jet small enough to gate check bags last week. When we landed, there was a mom with a babe and toddler unfolding a stroller in the bag claim area. I got my husband to slow down while I asked if she had bags to retrieve also since the toddler was trying to run off. She looked surprised and then smiled and thanked me for asking, but someone was meeting them at the regular checked baggage area. She was grateful someone wanted to help instead of glare at two wiggly kids. Made me happy to ease that stress.
I missed Ten on Tuesday but loved your vacation photos. And I love your list – good soap was a surprise but it was one of those, oh-why-didn’t-I-think-of-that-because-it’s-SO-true surprises.
You nailed this list. Everything on your list is free and easy to enjoy if we are but aware of our surroundings. Lovely list, friend!
My Yorkie sleeps in my bed with me, and when we wake up in the morning, she is always so glad to see me—it feels like we’ve been apart for weeks or months. And homemade soap—I used to work at my LYS, and one of my students “tipped” me with a big bag of soap she had made. Each bar is a different variety, and I dread running out.
Oh yes! The sound of the ocean! And wishing others a good day or some other kind gesture is definitely a joy-giver. And I love taking pictures, too.
May your week be full of joy!
That’s a great list! I am recently acquainted with the Jeep Joy, having welcomed one into the family over the weekend (Maddy’s — her first, definitely not last). Welcome back!
This was a great idea! And I also like to wish people a nice day, somehow I always feel surprised when someone says it to me! Have a wonderful day Carole!
You must know the expression — two things money can’t buy — true love and home grown tomatoes! Reading clever blogs written by people who have come to feel like old friends is a joy!
Reentry just sucks but you came up with a good way to handle it. Great list!
Welcome back! It’s a great list and brought me lots of joy! Celebrate September first.
What a thoughtful way to jump back into the game after vacation. Beautifully written. <3
Oh, how I love the sound of the ocean. I so wish I could have a house right next to it – or pretty darn close!
Linda in VA
Welcome home! I love your list.
excellent idea, Carole! sharing JOY is a wonderful gift. (and I love that soap is on your list…ordinary joy indeed!)