Watching Flowers Bloom

“It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is: what are we busy about?”   

- Henry David Thoreau

We all know what it’s like to be over-scheduled with jobs, commitments, family, and friends. That seems to be a given in this day and age. Often people ask me; “What do you do down there in Mexico?” Answer: I’m busy about living!

Our self-worth has become tied up in how busy we are. I don’t want to be so busy running from one thing to the next and miss out on the joy and tiny miracles along the way.

One evening last week a group of friends gathered in our garden to watch a single flower bloom. The Night-Blooming Cereus is a fragrant white flower that blooms only one night each year, gracing us with its beauty for only a few hours. In honor of its debut, we hosted a party with champagne and canapes.

We could have easily missed seeing this beautiful plant come alive and dance before our eyes if we had been “busy” on Facebook.  

Do you celebrate the little things? Or do you wait for holidays and big occasions to celebrate? Today, practice celebrating life’s simple joys. I invite you to spend a few minutes thinking of simple things that bring joy to your life.

Read. Play with a pet. Hand write a letter. Call a loved one. Walk in nature. Dance in the middle of your living room. Invite a friend over for coffee or a glass of wine. People watch. Fill your home with fresh flowers. Fly a kite. Blow bubbles. Sing. Sit under the stars. Use your mother's china. Have a jammies day. Snuggle. Play a board game. Watch the sunset.

With that in mind, as Mary Oliver once said, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”