Resolve to enjoy the small things in life
"Avehay oodgay ayday" was the greeting. Enclosed was a yellowed column published in 2014. I stared at an outdated picture of myself at the top. The greeting and the old column came from Marilyn Vesely, Norman, Oklahoma. Marilyn had cut out the column all those years ago and sent it to her daughter, and it had made its way back to Marilyn, who forwarded it to me.
The headline was "Simple resolutions can bring joy to life." It was about making New Year’s resolutions, aside from the 2 biggies that are typical — lose weight and exercise more. The column suggested to readers some small things that could make their lives more enjoyable.
Although we are well into the year of 2022, we don’t have to wait for Jan. 1 to make our lives more enjoyable. Take a walk with Marilyn and me down memory lane and consider if some of the suggestions might be useful all these 8 years later.
Avoid tight clothes. Get help with jobs you dislike. Think of your difficulties as challenges, rather than problems. Walk slower. Smile more. Stop talking negatively to yourself. Quit trying to fix other people. Stop being surprised at the actions of difficult people, and rather than fuss at them — or about them — limit interaction with them.
Buy flowers for yourself. Doodle. Clean a closet. Teach a kid to fly a kite. Talk less. Listen more. Learn to laugh at yourself, because people are more comfortable with you when you’re not perfect. Go on a picnic. Turn off your mobile phone or leave it in your car when you are meeting someone to share a meal. Unhook from technology when you walk in your door to greet your family in the evenings.
Before you go to sleep, think back over your day and take note of those things for which you are grateful. Don’t be afraid to be silly, i.e., say have a good day in pig Latin.