Diane Hughes | @DianeWordsmith
  • Home
  • My Blogs
    • Musings on Life
    • The Write Stuff Blog
    • Ireland Travel Blog
    • Tread Light Adventure Travel
  • Resume
  • My Work
    • Writing Portfolio
    • Photo Gallery
  • Writing/Editing services
  • Contact

MUSINGS ON LIFE
I think; therefore, I muse
 
DIANE HUGHES • NASHVILLE, TN
WRITER, EDITOR, CREATIVE PROFESSIONAL

10 simple pleasures that make me smile

9/9/2012

6 Comments

 
PictureWhat makes you smile?
It's easy to get caught up in the things in our lives that disappoint us. The project that gets scrapped. The job offer that doesn't come through. A serious illness. A financial burden.

Sometimes all we have to hang on to are the simple things — the little moments in daily life that can bring simple pleasure. Enjoy them. Relish them. Here are 10 of mine.

1. The smell of freshly ground coffee early on a weekend morning.

2. The sound of rain softly hitting the roof.

3. Riding in the car with the sunroof open and my favorite music blaring from the stereo.

4. The feel and smell of freshly laundered towels just out of the dryer.

5. Holding hands with my husband.

6.  The intoxicating scent of lavender. 

7. The sound of wind gently rustling trees and grass.

8. Watching rabbits play in the backyard.

9. Cooking a hot breakfast (or any meal!) while listening to cool jazz. (Dave Brubeck's Take Five is like heaven for your ears.)

10. Getting lost in a good book.

What simple pleasures bring a smile to your face? Please share them in the Comments. Let's get a list of hundreds of simple pleasures to share!

Subscribe to Musings on Life
6 Comments

Don't lay bricks; build a cathedral

9/2/2012

9 Comments

 
Picture St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. © D. Hughes
The crowd sat eagerly waiting as the college president stepped to the rostrum to address a gathering of faculty, students, administrators and guests. This convocation was not only the beginning of a new school year but a new beginning for the president as well; he had just assumed his duties as president over the summer.

As a member of my alma mater's alumni advisory council, I was invited to attend this event. Being there brought back memories of my days in that same auditorium, of sitting in the quiet foyer of the building to study before my next class. And it reminded me of how proud I felt to be there, how inspired and motivated I was to succeed.

As the president spoke, I was inspired all over again. He began by telling the story of three bricklayers building a cathedral. Perhaps you've heard it — I had not. The story goes something like this:

A man happened along three bricklayers busy at work. He asked the first bricklayer, "What are you doing?"


"I'm laying bricks," the first bricklayer said.

The man asked the second bricklayer the same question.

"I'm putting up a wall," was the reply.

The passerby then posed the question to the third bricklayer.

"What are you doing?" he asked. 

"I'm building a great cathedral," the third bricklayer replied.

The president then suggested that each employee at the college should be engaged in their work and focused on the big picture. Whether their job is cleaning restrooms or filing records or teaching a class or selling a textbook, they should realize that each of those acts plays a part in shaping and aiding the education and future of a student. 

Last year, I contacted my alumni association with the hope of finding a way to volunteer — to give back to the institution that had done so much for me. Recently I met with other planning committee members to stuff envelopes for invitations to our fall fundraiser. While that act itself may seem small and insignificant, the money raised at that fundraiser will mean everything to the scholarship recipient who is able to graduate from college. That's the big picture I try to focus on. That's my proverbial cathedral: a student beaming brightly while wearing a cap and gown and going on to a successful life.

Yes, the bricks are important; they are the building blocks, the foundation of whatever work we do. We just need to see beyond the singular brick, the isolated act, and realize that it's a part of the whole. Just imagine a brick wall riddled with empty spaces where bricks were left out. Those missing bricks would compromise the strength and integrity of the wall. Each brick, each person, each job is an imperative part of the whole.

If you can't see your cathedral for the bricks, maybe it's time to look for purpose in what you do — or dedicate yourself to doing something different. Determine to look at the big picture and recognize the importance of what you do each day. Don't lay bricks; build a great cathedral.

Are you laying bricks today? Or building a cathedral? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Subscribe to Musings on Life
9 Comments

    DIANE HUGHES

    I write, edit, photograph and muse about life.

    Picture
          
           

    Subscribe by email.

    Powered by FeedPress


    Picture
    Need help to improve your writing? Visit my writing & grammar blog:
     The Write Stuff       


    ARCHIVES

    April 2019
    January 2019
    March 2015
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    November 2013
    May 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011

    CATEGORIES

    All
    Books
    Christmas
    College
    Copywriting
    Gardening
    Holiday
    Inspiration
    Learning
    Life Lessons
    Media
    Monday Minute
    Most Popular Posts
    Mother
    Nature
    Simple Pleasures
    Travel
    Versatile Blogger Award
    Write For The Fight
    Writing

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos used under Creative Commons from matrianklw, Phil Hawksworth, miss machine♥, stephenshellard, heyFilbert, The Feedman, asenat29, alex_ford, kphotographer, http://www.samcatchesides.com/, dcarlbom, g23armstrong, Mourner, dorena-wm, ComputerHotline, Denkrahm, Sigma.DP2.Kiss.X3, trawin, comedy_nose, katerha, OiMax, kathryn_rotondo