Another Perfect Day

Listen to the trees as they sway in the wind.

Their leaves are telling secrets. Their bark sings songs of olden days as it grows around the trunks. And their roots give names to all things.

Their language has been lost.

But not the gestures.

Vera Nazarian, The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration

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Hello Friend,

Yesterday I sat down and listed elements that would compose a perfect day for me. I came up with 15 in random order:

1. Blue sky
2. A few fluffy clouds
3. Sun
4. 25° C
5. Breeze
6. Not closed in; lots of space to see forever
7. Green, be it grass, trees, fields … one, some or all.
8. Happy birds singing
9. Trees whispering
10. A few favourite people, or nobody
11. Fresh air. No man-made smells, from cooking to smoking to nastier things … except, maybe, for coconut infused sunscreen
12. Sitting in the shade
13. Cool soft grass between my toes … OR
14. Baby-powder-soft sand between my toes, under a beach umbrella
15. A meadowlark’s clear song, even once, but preferably over and over.

This list includes all the senses except taste. As I collected these ideas about what a perfect day would be, I thought of all the teas and goodies you and I have shared together and, while they were all so good in the moment, I couldn’t come up with one or two to include in my perfect day. I think that’s because, for me, my choice for the perfect taste would depend on with whom I was sharing that perfect day.

Good friends always make food and drink more enjoyable.

At least, that’s true for me. The Cowboy, culinary enthusiast that he is, would likely fill his list with favourite foods.

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He and I spent a few days in the country this week. We keep a small travel trailer on a very pretty piece of land. It is near a lake, and if you slip through the trees to the gravel road beyond you can see it glimmering in the distance.

The Cowboy has rigged up a way for us to have filtered rainwater for washing and showering – my hair has never been softer – and we have access to electricity, so we’re not “roughing it” by any means. But we are away from the hustle and bustle.

One of my favourite things about this little piece of property is the trees. Tall, stately evergreens, playful poplars, dignified elms, and a few other species I’m still trying to identify.

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It’s so quiet out there, and the slightest breeze will set the poplars whispering. To stop my work in the middle of the day or wake up in the middle of a summer’s night and hear them rustling is one of the most restful, soul-restoring sounds in the world. As I listen, I always – always – catch myself taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly.

It’s one of my favourite things on the perfect-day list.

We need favourite things. Pieces of a perfect day to counter the bleakness that threatens to drag us down.

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It was a perfect day. There was the shadow of sorrow, yes. It would always be there. But that was the nature of life. The bright mirror and the dark, reflecting one another. And today there was so much brightness.

Jacqueline Carey

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Cities, provinces, countries are in different stages of reopening after lockdown and quarantine. Have you stepped out into the new world yet? Although things continue to be uncertain, do you think it might be important to venture out there for a brief moment? If we don’t, we might not learn what this new world is like and how to properly conduct ourselves.

If you are well, why not take a chance on the world? Wash your hands, wear your mask, keep your distance, remember not to touch your face. (That’s the hardest one for me to remember.)

Observe and notice while you’re out there. Take your time. Learn what it’s like to be out in this changed yet strangely familiar world.

When you return home you will be that much wiser, and maybe a little more confident in your ability to navigate your new world.

Wishing you a perfect day,

Joy

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Featured Image by Richard Woollett from Pixabay