Monday, November 23, 2009

Simple things

I forgot how much fun leaves can be. The other day I was helping Mr. Ludwig rake a bunch of them into his horse trailer. We got a whole mound of the really light and fluffy kind on when the temptation became to much. I tried to make it sound like work . . . I really did. I calmly explained to him that we could really get a lot more in if he would let me “compact” them -- and then I dove headfirst into the stack! It was one of the softest and most comfortable mattresses I have ever jumped on. I got leaves in my mouth almost every time I did it, but it was still great fun.

I tried not to act like it was fun (otherwise he might have taken my job), but I think he figured it out eventually. I think the way I shouted every time I jumped into them might have tipped him off. But it really did work, so I got to keep doing it for the rest of the day, which I didn't mind a bit! If you haven't jumped into a pile of leaves yet this year, I would suggest you find one and do it post haste. I makes you feel much better, trust me. However, I have to warn you to find a pile of nice dry leaves. Wet and soggy just doesn't work so well for jumping ;)

I've been finding the merit of simple things recently. When life becomes stifling, which it does sometimes (there are times when I just can't bring myself to write one more paper or read one more chapter of a boring health book) the best of escapes are often found in the simplest of things. It doesn't always take a monumental event to brighten up a week . . . sometimes a pile of leaves and some fresh air will do quite nicely.

People who don't have a reason to be miserable can usually find one without much trouble . . . either a failure in the past or an obstacle in the future. There will always be a reason, and that is precisely the reason why none of them will ever be good. I enjoy remembering the past, and I definitely believe in preparing for the future, but neither of them is a good place to live. That's what I like about holidays like Thanksgiving: they remind me of some of the best things in life, the things I often overlook. I don't know why, but I tend to forget things quickly. As a general rule of thumb, the more basic they are, the faster I forget them. It's strange because the most basic things in life are often the most important. Think about it. When's the last time you gave a second thought to the air you are breathing? It's one of the most important things you do, (I think it takes about six or seven minutes to die once you stop doing it) but I can't remember the last time I thought about it. Probably the last time I went went swimming and realized that there are some places where breathing is a bad idea =)

I think this tendency to forget things is one of the reasons God gave us holidays. Family, friends, a change of season, health . . . Holidays remind me of some of the most basic-but-essential things. They also remind me of how quickly people forget.