“The Lord preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me.” Psalms 166:6 NKJV

Recently, I celebrated my 55th birthday and now that I am officially a senior citizen, I often think about the things that truly make me happy. I have experienced a great career, attained many achievements, and acquired many material possessions, but it is the simplicity of life that has brought me the most joy. I want to share a few of those simple things with you.

• A simple thing is laughing and talking with my family as we gather around the kitchen table to celebrate a holiday or one of our birthdays.
• A simple thing is being “Mimi” to my grandchildren. It is the chatter of my grandson while we walk to the pond to see the ducks. It is the excitement of my granddaughter when she assists me in planting flowers in the pots on my patio. It is taking them both to the playground watching as they make new friends. It is watching them embark upon new experiences such as soccer and flag football. It is walking with them to my mailbox and allowing them to place a letter in the outgoing mail slot. It is joining them in playing with water balloons. It is instructing them on how to bake cupcakes and decorate them with chocolate icing and sprinkles.
• A simple thing is sitting on my patio listening to the Gladys Knight or Kenny G station on Pandora while watching the squirrels playfully scurry up and down tree trunks in the backyard.
• A simple thing is taking a relaxing bath with my favorite Aromatherapy bubble bath.
• A simple things is walking in my neighborhood enjoying a new Audiobook and waving hello to my neighbors.
• A simple thing is enjoying Alicia Keys and Deepak Chopra’s new 21-day meditation experience.
• A simple thing is talking and laughing with girlfriends over dinner or on the phone oftentimes comparing ailments–sounding like our parents.
• A simple thing is enjoying fellowship and bible study discussion with my “Pearls.”
• A simple thing is sipping on a hot cup of Yogi Chai tea while wrapped in my favorite throw watching a movie.
• A simple thing is infusing my home with one of my favorite scented candles.
• A simple thing is fresh flowers sitting on my countertop.

Huffington Post Contributor, Margalit Ward, offers the following suggestions on how to create a simpler life:

1. Prioritize. Determine what is most important to you; this will give you a broader view of how you spend your time.
2. Re-prioritize every week. What you can accomplish each week depends upon what is going on in your life; therefore, you will need to prioritize on a weekly basis.
3. Let go. Evaluate your commitments to see what you can let go of.
4. Be realistic. Setting your expectations based on what is realistic to accomplish each day can help remove some of the stress you put on yourself.
5. Enjoy the moment. Focusing only on what is in front you right now can assist you in feeling more relaxed and at peace.

Oftentimes, we are so focused on our careers, achievements and acquiring material possessions that we lose sight of the simple pleasures in life that bring us the most peace and joy. Dolly Parton once stated, “Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.” My grandchildren may never remember the toys, games or articles of clothing that I purchased for them; however, I am hopeful they will remember the quality moments we have shared. It is the simple things that are priceless.

I would love to hear what your simple things are; please leave a comment.

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