I flipped my Irish perpetual
calendar to a new day and saw this quote attributed to Emily Lawless, “Simple
days bring simple joys.” I couldn’t agree more!
When I think back
whether it was decades ago, or last week, I realize the simple times in my life
were the happiest times. I can close my eyes and remember those simple days.
In my childhood, I
think of summer days on the creek bank with my bare feet dangling in the water
while I read a book. I remember family
reunions when I got to spend time with the Capps cousins and Saturdays at
Grandma and Grandpa Whittle’s house when my aunts, uncles, and Mom played their
instruments and sang country and gospel songs. We kids would listen for a
while, dance, and then run out into the yard to play.
My life became more
complicated during the teenage years, but was simple compared to today. I wrote
letters, listened to the Beatles with my friend Sharon, and fell in and out of
love a few times. Then, I met and married Jim.
Over the next two
decades, we raised our sons. Our weeks were quiet and weekends were spent with
family—ours, mine, and his--often filled with jam sessions, fishing, campfires,
and quality family time. We celebrated special occasions by eating out or going
to movies. We traveled to Oregon, and discovered Colorado. Later we made our
trips to Branson to watch country music shows, visit Silver Dollar City, cruise
on the Branson Belle, and Ride the Ducks.
Life took another
turn when Jim developed dementia. Our sons had families of their own, our
fathers died, and we entered an unpredictable time. Life started to get chaotic
and I longed for the simple days. Instead, my world revolved around Jim, work,
and volunteering. Anxiety became my constant companion.
Today, the simple
days have vanished and been replaced with constant intrusions. We are bombarded
with demands on our time and invasions of our privacy. We’ve become dependent
on Google instead of memory. Opinionated news has replaced facts. Politics used
to be relegated to election time, but now, we have it crammed down our throats
on a daily basis. People have become more contentious, politically polarized,
more religious and less Christian.
Cell phones have
replaced conversations with click, click, click. We have to keep up with
Facebook, Twitter, texting, breaking news, weather alerts, and dozens of other
apps. All the talk radio and politics of TV has many of us getting our news on
our phones.
Even though I’m
retired, it seems that simple days are uncommon. For the past two weeks, I’ve
had one, two, and sometimes three events a day. Interspersed in the busyness, I
find simple joy while walking my dog, drinking coffee with my husband on the
deck, joining my friends for line dancing exercise class, spending time with my
kids and grandkids, or walking out into the yard to photograph the sunset at
the end of the day.
Recently, I’ve
found new joyful moments by playing my ukulele with our family band at nursing
homes. Our practice sessions are flashbacks of the simple days, often humorous,
relaxing, and most of all precious time together. When my mom sings now, she’s hearing
her kids, daughter-in-law, and niece instead of her brothers.
It isn’t always
easy to discover simple joys in our complicated world. My hope is that if I fill
my time with enough simple joys, they will become simple days.
Copyright © July 2018
by L.S. Fisher
#ENDALZ
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