Feel Good Factors

Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.
This quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay on Self Reliance came into my head the other morning.  I woke up feeling as if I had stubbed my toes on the wall of life, in other words, not in the sunniest of moods.  Outside the rain was coming down in buckets.  As I was hauling myself out of bed I remembered the above quote and decided that I would find five "feel good" things about the day.  Needless to say, it wasn't actually that hard.

Here they are:

1. Being able to stand under the shower and feel that warm water cascading over my body and having a choice of shampoo and cosmetics stocking my bathroom shelves. We take this all for granted but we'd certainly miss it if we couldn't have a warm shower whenever we pleased. Those of us who've been on camping sites queuing at the wash rooms of a morning know the feeling.
2. Watching out of my window as a crow swooped on a piece of bread.  He had barely alighted before a crowd of his fellows descended on him.  They formed a circle and were plainly hoping to make him nervous enough to drop the crust of bread. He took this all in his stride, picked away while keeping an eye on his fellows. Two wagtails came to see what was happening and hung around on the edge of the crowd in the hopes of picking up a few crumbs. They all looked so like a bunch of children with a toffee bar that I found myself chuckling.
3. On my way to the shops I met a daddy with his little girl.  She was chattering away nineteen to the dozen the way small children do. He listened to every word as if it this was the most important conversation he could possibly have and threw in a remark here and there in answer to her questions.  When he noticed me watching them he smiled down at his daughter with so much love and pride that  I found myself smiling too.
4. It had been raining all morning but in the afternoon a watery sun came out and I decided to risk a walk to the beach.  I was glad I did. Strolling along the promenade I saw children and dogs having a wonderful time splashing about in the sea.  I'm not sure who was having the most fun, the kids screaming in the surf or the dogs jumping around with tongues lolling. I saw joggers, senior citizens, people in wheel chairs, families pushing baby buggies.  Everyone was enjoying themselves despite a stiff on-shore breeze and the occasional black cloud hovering threateningly. It was good to be alive and part of it all.
5. On my way home I passed a beautifully tended garden. I stopped to admire and was met with the heady scent of roses, geraniums, jasmine and other flowers I couldn't name. I'd passed this way so often and never really noticed it before. 

In future I'm going to be more aware of these moments.  They can be found anywhere at any time no matter how rushed my day is.  And they don't cost anything.