In Appreciation…….. of the simple pleasures of life..

Zeena Singh For Eastern Mirror Sunday

Hello folks,
[dropcap]I [/dropcap]believe that life has so much to give if only we cared to give a little thought to the most minuscule of joys (which we’d find so much of) only if we’d stop looking at the looming discomforts and discontents.
So here I am, to share with you the simplest joys in my life as I have experienced some time in my life and those that I take as I face each day, at a time.

CHILDHOOD WONDERS & BLESSINGS
For as long as I can recall they were constant – two of my BF’s( best friends)
Pretty as angels –a golden blonde and a dark head of curls
Always beside me no matter when or where
“Winter Spring Summer or Fall….All I had to do was….” close my eyes and they’d be there
Exceptional! Special! No one could share them with me
Time seemed to fly when we were together – they with me and I with them.
We’d talk, laugh, dance and play at length
Never a lonely moment, as long as they were near
Only we knew the joys we shared over our childlike prattle
But as time went by my friends left- just as quietly and suddenly as they had arrived,
Even before I could say thank you –
God must have sent me my guardian angels.
******************************
Easter Morning! Another day on my childhood list of the- best- time- of- year.
Up early
Awake with anticipation,
I look forward to be where EVERYTHING is entirely set – faultless! flawless!
‘Seven Oaks’- my wooded joy!
A Coffer of hidden treasures – big beautiful trees in all their splendour,
Cushioned carpets of pine and soft green moss,
Crisp crunchy fallen leaves,
Delightful woody acorns,
Pine cones,
Curtains of delicate fern –
All part of this Magical world!

This was where I loved to be,
where I’d love to be, every day
…but today was not every other day
Today we were here to share dawn’s first rays…
to watch as the sun gently, silently touched and cloaked the world in her glow and warmth.

Here I’d be every Easter morning,

Enchanted!

Fascinated!

Spellbound!

Perhaps missing out on the true essence of the meaning of an Easter Sunrise Service then
yet absorbing that something that reaches down and touches you.
Something that so mesmerizingly captivated and charmed my childlike heart, – a serene calm -which,
till today, makes me believe that there could be no place on earth more exquisite for a perfect Easter Sunrise Service.
******************************
Watching the World go by, a pass time so peculiar, but one that I discovered was a favourite of mine when I was but all of 6.

Perched up high on our white wooden gate, in a little town, I could spend hours of amusingly enjoyable moments finding innumerable pleasant scenes from my panoramic view. However an occasional occurrence did have me run and hide, but never enough to make me relent .

It was encouraging not having my parents ever once steal my joy but instead patiently giving a ear or half at my consistent chatter about my days findings.

Besides my game of ‘I spy’, I need to say that from atop my little world of sight- seeing leisure, I got a glimpse into an impressive example of what true discipline meant; An insight that made a dent of admiration in my little mind.

A little further up the hill from where we lived, was an army base camp, very clearly visible from where I used to be positioned. Awareness of an army encampment in the vicinity was felt by the daily morning and evening bugle calls, which was now a familiar tune to hum along with and which I had begun to like. For me even the daily activities of drills and everyday chores that went on there were interesting enough to draw my attention.
On one such instant, I heard the evening bugle and turned my gaze toward it. I saw the tricolour as usual flying at full mast on its pole. Suddenly all activities came to an instantaneous halt. Everyone had stopped doing whatever they had been doing, running errands, carrying loads, it didn’t matter. Leaving all else, they were now standing ramrod straight, at full attention with a salute to the flag which now was gently being lowered.
This scene left me in such awe and amazement that since that day they had me join them from where I was, emulating their display of respect, giving all else second place at the first blow of the bugle.

******************************
After a busy week full of monitored academic activities, the weekend would slow down with time at hand to freely browse our own interests.

Not that it was short of things to keep our little energized selves utilised. There was such an abundance of things to discover and learn from the plethora we already had in our companions from the world over. An assortment of Stories to be told, New games to be taught and learned, Food to be tasted and enjoyed. Almost everyone had something carried from his or her land.
Yet perhaps at sometime the mind subconsciously does search for something off beat.

Evidently mine did:
Come Saturday and some Sundays we’d always have a visit from an (Old) salt-and pepper-haired man. With a cap on his head, a satchel across his shoulders and wooden box in hand he’d plod down the long walk to his usual railed corner just outside the Dining Hall and Verandah stretch.
There he’d be almost the whole day, with not so much as an exchange of words with anyone, doing what he knew best – mending shoes.

Watching him from a distance, week after week, completely engrossed in his task at hand got the better of my curious self.
I edged closer.
Never had I observed a cobbler at such close quarters in the entire 8-9 years of my life. What I saw intrigued me….. a snip, a slice with his chisel and clippers, his big awl, strings of waxed twine and deft hands (though calloused),and an interesting in-and-out of( thread and needle); One by one, he repaired them, as good as new.
Nimbleness and Dexterity were his God-given tools, with which he sewed through the toughest leather.
My off beat find – What a Wonder- what a Marvel .

(Zeena Singh is learning and development professional. She is the founder of FINEZZA, the learning studio)