SIMPLE PLEASURES

Somehow, another week has passed since my last entry. In the summertime, the weeks just seem to fly past even if the workdays drag. Summer seems to be such a precious commodity in this part of the country. Yes, we all complain about the heat and humidity and look for some relief from the heat. However, when it is all over I, for one, am never ready for the fall to come.

Perhaps that is because there are just so many little moments of happiness that the warm weather provides me with. Whether it is eating my breakfast on the patio before heading out to work, or reading a book outside under a tree during my lunch break, or seeing the newest blooms that have come out of the perennials in my garden as I pull into my driveway at the end of the day, even my workweek is punctuated by moments of simple pleasure. They require little or no effort on my part. Despite what the advertising world would have us believe, these priceless opportunities do not require the use of a Mastercard. They simply present themselves if we are open to them.

I went to the beach today with my children, my sister, and her children. Four kids, one baby, and two adults. I must say we felt a little outnumbered by the children and there was a lot of whining and complaining done by the kids and snapping and ordering around done by us. But somewhere between sitting in traffic on the southbound Garden State Parkway with five kids packed in the back and the dusting off of sand and gathering of shovels and pails and towels, we found a few moments of pure bliss.

First, I must say that there is nothing that compares to the ocean beaches for a day at the beach. The saltwater breezes, the crashing waves, the unwashed masses. It is all part of the experience. Standing at the water's edge, jumping over the sea foam as the waves crash is something that brings out the true child in all of us. As the kids scream and giggle at the cool waves crashing around their legs, I sit back and just take it all in. All the kids together having the time of their lives. All is right with the world. The next moment of terror - when one gets knocked over after being hit by an unexpectedly strong wave - is quickly replaced by giddy relief as I fish him out of the foot of water he is laying in. Not only is he fine; he is instantly ready for another wave.

For the adults, there is always people-watching to keep us entertained. Whether it is the Grandma in the string bikini, the lady washing a few too many crevices on her body in the foot showers, or the little girl beating on her brother while the parents sit by oblivious to what is going on, sitting on the beach is like the original reality show. We get little glimpses into the lives of other people, and we feel a little better about our own.

So, my assignment for this week, and if you wish yours, is to look for satisfaction in the little things in life that cannot be bought. I will spend some extra time just playing with my kids. Perhaps, I will weed the garden for a while (the good lord knows it needs it!). Or maybe I will just sit on a park bench while my kids play and take it all in. I have heard countless times that I will blink and their childhood will just be a memory. But you can't have memories if you don't make memories.