When I was young, I used to pull pieces of ice plant from their stems, snap off the pointed top, and draw designs on the asphalt with the thick gel that oozed out of the broken pieces. When I saw this lovely patch of ice plant at the beach about a month ago, the memories of my early attempts at art (actually, it was just a way of keeping myself occupied) came rushing in.
As I let my mind and my heart peruse the memory, I realized that many of the activities that I enjoyed as a young person, still bring me a feeling of peace and a reminder of how simple joys fill the soul. Don’t get me wrong; I no longer use ice plant on asphalt as my medium! Regardless of what I use, I still enjoy drawing.
I am lucky. I was exposed to reading, music, theater, art, picnics at the park, church choir, sports and yes, even a circus (that’s another post).
Many of those activities are a part of my life today, and for that, I am grateful.
When I am feeling the depth of what I call COVID fatigue, I seek out simple joys.
Last night for example, I lay quietly with my eyes closed, listening to music. Nothing else. Just being with the beauty of the music and the stillness of my body. It was a simple way to reconnect to the open heartedness I seek to meet each day with.
Also, I was able to shed a few tears. Not because there was anything specifically wrong, but because for a moment, I allowed myself to feel the fatigue, the loneliness of not having hugged anyone in months, and the deep desire for connection.
Today, I did some writing. This is something I have done for as long as I can remember. It brings clarity, connects me to my dreams and helps me figure out things when I’m having trouble with direction. The writing has given me some ideas about things I want to share, and the enthusiasm to continue posting.
I’m grateful for the memories brought about by a simple stroll with a friend past a patch of ice plant. A smile, a connection to art, music and writing. And, a connection to you.