The other day was my birthday and I went back to my parents’ house to share a nice meal with my family. At one point someone complimented me on my pants, and I explained, with surprise, that I’d found them in a free box on the side of the road off of Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis. To this explanation, my dad offered a piece of oft forgotten wisdom: Things that are free are not without value.
I spend so much time focused on bigger picture items like my Career and my Schedule and my Best Case Scenario that I fail to appreciate the little things. The catch about living a good life is how easy it is to glaze over the awesomeness all around you. So, in honor of Thanksgiving week, here are some of my favorite joies de vivre.
10 Good Things:
- flowers, whether wild, bought, or grown
- the scent of a fresh pomelo
- a new notebook
- bookstores
- warm breezes
- hot showers
- clean laundry
- exploring a new neighborhood
- sunny windows
- a good story
mckenzie malanaphy 