A long time ago I had a discussion with my husband about ‘life’s little pleasures’ and we managed to come up with a fair few (some I care to admit to here such as clean sheets, that first sip of coffee in the morning, sunshine on my face, the sound of the sea, a sip of a really good red wine, the smell of thunder) and many I ought to keep to myself (doing a wee after being desperate for a couple of hours, squeezing a really big black head, the feel of wet cat’s nose on my cheek).
One of life’s little pleasures
So today I decided to compile a list of friends’ chosen life’s little pleasures. Here it is:
Clean sheets (especially with clean feet)
Coffee
Opening a new jar of coffee (particularly bashing the foil on a new jar of coffee)
Hot shower
Walking (with or without dog)
Hot bubble bath
Wine
Coo of a wood pigeon
Empty ironing basket
Walnut whip and a cup of tea
Silence
Beer with friends
Suana
Smell of freshly mown grass
Having nails done
Driving and singing to music
Dancing alone to music
Being welcomed by pet
Chocolate
Looking at the sea
The sounds of the sea
Drinking beer while watching the sun setting over the sea
Starting a new book (with or without the sound of bird song)
Finishing a book
Baking
Listening to a brass band
Doing a wee after a long time
Waking from a good night’s sleep
Getting into bed after a night shift
Sound of a thunder storm on a hot day
Smell of the grass after thunder
Removal of bra after a busy day
Having newly straightened hair
The feel of freshly blow-dried hair upon stepping out of a hairdressers
Opening a new packet of pencils
Morning cuddles from one’s children / guinea pigs
Opening a box of cereal
Someone doing a good turn
The sound of laughter
Running
Feeling pain (from a friend with a nerve condition – pain makes her smile as it means her nerves are working)
Sight of partner walking through the door after a day at work
Walking on fresh snow or walking through a stream
Kicking leaves
Seeing daffodils in the garden
These are all quite tame I think but very touching and also insightful about the people who chose them. They are also very ordinary and easy to achieve (most of them, removal of bra after a busy day might not be so easy to achieve for a man as a woman). Yet they have great importance to the people who enjoy them: there really are very few activities as wonderful as sinking into a steaming hot bubble bath.
By far the most popular ‘life’s little pleasures’
I wanted to make a lovely colourful pie chart of these ‘life’s little pleasures’ but a friend poo pooed that idea as really rather dull. She suggested I create a Richard Scarry drawing to illustrate the list instead. Rabbits in trousers lying in clean sheets sipping wine and coffee, and tea and eating walnut whips while listening to wood pidgeons? I think that is beyond even my artistic abilities.
Bears enjoying the ‘life’s little pleasure’ of driving cars in trousers
I am a big fan of ‘life’s little pleasures’ and I hope I get sent some more to add here.