the little things
now that i'm nearly an old geezer, i suppose i'm entitled to some self-reflection time. i've found that it's the small, simple things in life that i find the most joy.

in the past week, i've thought long and hard about the "simple" things in life that mean so much to me. no, not the friendships and relationships that i hold dear, but the daily things that i seemingly take for granted. however, i really can't imagine how dull life would be without them.

Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day.
- Quoted in P.S. I Love You, compiled by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

first on my list would have to be smiling. over the weekend, while i was studying for my management test, i came across the phrase "emotional contagion," which means that people can "catch" one another's bad mood or displayed negative emotions. while this is true, i believe the reverse is true as well.

smiling is contagious. you should really try it sometime. seriously. try it at a j2 lunch line before you tell the person what gunk you want on your plate. try it on the stranger in the elevator instead of going up 5 floors in awkward silence while you stare at the numbers blink one by one. this stuff really works!


second would have to be laughter. honestly, i doubt i could go a day without laughing, even if there was a million bucks on the line. other than being a good ab workout and it's ability to add years to your life (is this true?), it is the best creator of long-lasting memories.

think back on this past year. what events do you remember the most? most likely, many of these events consist of long, tummy-hurting bouts of laughter, the kind where your eyes start watering, but you're laughing so hard you can't wipe your eyes because you're holding your stomach.

A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book.
- Irish Proverb

this brings me to my final item -- sleep. now who doesn't like to sleep? it's so relaxing, yet none of us seem to get enough of it. one of the best feelings in the world is going to bed at night knowing that you don't have to get up at a set time the next day. you ever sleep for 16 straight hours? you should try it sometime.

The little things? The little moments? They aren't little.
- John Zabat-Zinn