Sparks of wonder: a short story about finding joy in the mundane

I breathe deep as my purple running shoes meet the sandy soil at my favorite forest trail. The morning rain left a smell of earth and pine-purified and crisp. As I walk the familiar path, I notice a feeling that something is different. Though the afternoon clouds are heavy in the sky, the forest feels joyful, it’s mood light. I am reminded of my hope this season to make space for wonder, to be attentive. As my eyes scan the surroundings a sparkle catches my eye. Just ahead on the trail, an entire section of the path is reflecting beautiful light. As I slowly approach-I see the sparkles come from tiny silver stars. Some partially covered by grains of sand, others clear and bright.  I pause in awe. The more I look, the more I notice surrounding me as I stand. The shining silence is broken by the musical symphony of the breeze coming off the lake. The dry leaves rustle, the grass brushes against each other, and the pine trees hum as they lean back and forth. Each musician contributing their own beautiful harmony. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a movement.  Something small and quick approaches. I stand very still, trying not to breathe as this this tiny chipmunk pauses at the patch of sparkles. What must she think of this? Is it a mess, spilled on her clean floor? Does she pause to sigh and tap her tiny toe at the inconvenience? Is she formulating in her mind who might be to blame and how she will force them to clean it up? Looking closer at her, I can see her tiny head tilt slightly and can see a silver star reflecting in her eye. A twinkle. A spark. My dad loved to tell us when we were growing up about the spark he could see in our eyes when we were curious, or excited or working on something amazing. Could this tiny creature be pausing in amazement? Is she taking in the unexpected beauty of this sparkly intrusion of her home? As she scurried off, I exhaled loudly and realized that I learned a beautiful lesson from her on this ordinary afternoon. Sparks of wonder lay literally all around me.

Words: Anna Bonnema

Anna Bonnema is a lover of nature and words from the US. She celebrates ordinary moments on her lovely blog Building Blanket Forts.

How to feel heiter after a long day

A long day at work, traffic on the way home. You’re supposed to cook dinner when you get back and bring out the recycling too. I know, it’s exhausting and I can imagine that all you want to do is go to bed. Not so fast! Why? I believe we should make the most of the time that belongs to us, after all, it is what we work so hard for. Our time should be used to focus on the heiter side of life. The fact of the matter is that we only live once and it would be a shame to let life go by with negative thoughts or the feeling that we didn’t get anything out of it.

The first thing we need to do is to change our perspective.  Try revisiting points in your day and identifying what was good about it. Let’s give it a go:

-          Yes, your day at work was long but perhaps you learned something from the task you needed to do. Maybe the way you had to communicate your ideas in a meeting was great practice for pitching your future creative business.

-          Due to the traffic it took you 30 minutes longer to get home. It did however mean that you had those 30 minutes needed to listen to a great podcast. 

-          You’re supposed to cook dinner. Isn’t that great? Mindfully chopping the vegetables can be therapeutic and the good vitamins and minerals you’re feeding your body will bring you more energy.

-          You have to bring the recycling out. Yay to recycling! You can really make a difference and work towards a better world by joining in.

How did that feel? Did I manage to cheer you up a little? Good! If you need more Heiterkeit (cheerfulness) there are a few more things I can recommend.

-          Make yourself a soothing cup of tea.

-          Get some fresh air. If it’s a walk with your dog or some quiet time in the garden, a few minutes outside really can make a difference.

-          Have a bath. Essentials oils are always a good addition, or if you have a bit more time and all the ingredients try out the Calming Rose Bath by the lovely Becky Cole.

-          Listen to your favourite song(s).

-          Meditate, even if it’s only for a few minutes. I use an app for my daily mediation but you can of course do it without one too.

-          Phone someone you love and talk about a lovely memory the two of you share.

-          Write down three things you’re grateful for.

-          Light some candles, wrap yourself in a blanket and relax.

-          Read a poem or a good book before you go to sleep.

I hope this post helps you and makes it easier for you to find #heitermoments in your everyday life. Keep me posted on how you get on and if you have anything to add to the list above, let me know.

Be heiter!

Deutsche Version hier.

Words & images: Katharina Geissler-Evans, heiter magazine