Dear Pogue,

Sometimes it’s the smallest things that matter, that make a difference. A smile from someone we vaguely know that makes us feel welcome. “Thank you” , said with sincerity whilst being looked in the eye tells us that the effort was all worth it. Or a cup of well made coffee on an altogether ordinary day. Soul food in a cup. These things that cause us to smile on the inside and experience a moment of well being worth lingering over.

Happiness can be as simple as a cup of coffee and the right attitude.

Sweatpants and coffee.

Yet these are so often drops of gold fallen from the heavens and so easily overlooked or that go unseen. Richness that is lost and we are so much the poorer for it. So today let’s slow ourselves down and try to become observers of ourselves.

Have you ever done that? Found you have detached from everything you do and say and become the watcher? It is very doable. Someone said we are in fact spiritual beings having a human experience, souls occupying human bodies and not humans seeking a spiritual experience. Somehow we seem to have forgotten this and turned things upside down.

We observe the world and our participation in it from the stand point of mind and this is fuelled by ego. There can be a lot of: “Me, Me, Me”. A lot of self engrandizement. And when the ego has the wheel there is a lot of focus on what will make my life better. However it’s not my intention to write about the ego. I feel we have both come far enough to be looking for the leading of the Spirit but for now let’s permit ourselves the time to become the observer. Our own audience and from that point of observation, from watching life played before us, let’s be the director.

Firstly watch ourselves and hear the incessant noise that goes on in our head, commenting and instructing. Then let us choose to direct our actions as the observer, hearing the mind but not being controlled by it. Seeing it for what it is, a tool to be controlled and not be controlled by. It will be a bold move to choose to act in a manner other than the minds wishes. It will take practice and effort. There will be moments when we do not succeed  which we need to bless as lessons sent to us and not reasons to beat ourselves up. Like all things, the more we practice the easier it will become.

Meditation is a trusted path in achieving this sort of mastery over self. In allowing the spirit to come to charge and in realising our true state of being. You’ll find meditation in every religion, even in your Bible, you just need to understand the language used to describe the process. “Be still and know that I am God” is one of my favourite admonitions, an invitation to the quieting of all that I am to embrace the knowing of God in all my being.

So today and hence forth lets become those who are able to find joy in the small things we encounter. Things so often missed. My motor cycle instructor told me it really didn’t matter what I rode as long as it made me smile. My bike makes me smile. Now can we apply this to life and find its richness in the events that makes us smile. That first cup of coffee. My first cup of coffee each day guarantees a smile, providing a moment to savour and its important to savour. Take time to enjoy the moment and prolong the smile. It’s really good for the soul.

Joy comes to us in ordinary moments. We risk missing out when we get too busy chasing down the extraordinary.

Brene Brown

That kind word. The sun breaking through and warming my face. The innocent actions of a child. Be your own observer and see these moments that you would usually let pass by and then cause yourself to stop and experience them.

And don’t let these moments become relative. You know what I mean? Well to explain. My last letter gained two “Likes” which made me smile. But I feel sure that those who have posted long and hard, received numerous “Likes” would hardly notice just two. Things become relative to our experience if permitted. Don’t let them. If you do you’ll lose the small things and the joy therein. Imagine if I get three like, how rich my life will be?

I encourage you, meditate, become still and know God and see life’s immense richness from there.

Yours, looking for a reason to smile,

Wic