Simple Pleasures

Things are tough, these days. Most people I know feel the squeeze of the economic situation in our world. We used to enjoy going out for dinner, seeing movies, watching sports events at a local pub, or taking weekend trips. Our current situation limits our activities severely, so I have rediscovered some old fashioned favorite spots and activities, as well as a few new things to do for little or no cost.

Parks: our community has several of them, complete with playgrounds, benches and picnic tables. Two are on the lake. Sometimes we take a picnic lunch and enjoy it by the lake, take a little walk on the grounds, or sit on a bench and talk. Some mornings, I read in the park. I like to watch children play and have casual conversations with others I encounter there. One park is across the road from our local bird sanctuary/marsh, where we can walk out onto a boardwalk to an observatory and view many different species of birds and animals native to the setting.

During the summer, our village sponsors free concerts by the lake, which are always nice. There are also two or three festivals which offer free entertainment and inexpensive food and drink, as well as the opportunity to meet and greet neighbors. Throw in some craft vendors, and it's a great time. Nearby towns have festivals, too, so once in a while we attend one. I like to support local organizations and nonprofits and though money is very tight, we get a bargain at pancake breakfasts, which benefit these organizations.

It may sound silly, but we save our change in a jar, and when it's full, we cash it in and do something like go out for dinner, or treat ourselves to something special. It feels like found money or a bonus.

Our backyard is a fun place. The dogs run and play, the mulberry tree gives us treats in the summer, and the patio holds out table, chairs, grill and fire pit. Many nights, we sit watching the fire, listening to music and talking. We greet neighbors as they walk by or come out to chat. There is a pair of cardinals who nest in the yard every year, as well as a pair of blue jays.

I love our library! I hardly ever buy books any more. I can find books via the library's website, and reserve them Or, I can (helpful in bad weather) pick up and return books at our convenient drive-through window at the library. We borrow movies there, too. They also have a bank of computers, as well as free classes such as beginning, intermediate and advanced Microsoft Office applications, genealogy online, and much more.

Discovering or rediscovering simple pleasures that cost little or nothing creates a sense of peace, sparks interest in people, animals, and other pursuits. Perhaps it is like the idea of seeing your cup as half full or half empty. Getting through tough times challenges us to the core. A look around us and a little imagination goes a long way to reducing the stress we experience when our finances shrink. Today, I feel my life enriched by my simple pleasures.