A Simple Life

The smallest, simplest of pleasures are often the best. Today I am grateful to have experienced several. This morning Jeff and I started the day with breakfast together. We didn’t have anything fancy, just some eggs scrambled with a diced tomato from the garden and a little feta cheese. This was teamed with a piece of toast and some o.j. While the food was basic breakfast, the pleasure was eating together at the table. In the summer we often arise at different times and eat different things, so the simple act of sitting next to one another and discussing how we planned to spend the day was lovely.


Next, we went into school to do some summer cleaning and move around classroom furniture in preparation for maintenance to give the carpets a once over. By the time we were done, both of us were sweaty and thirsty. Once again, I was struck by the pleasure of the simplest solution – a cold bottle of plain water. We didn’t need any flavors, colors, carbonations, or sugars, just the stream of iciness soothing our throats and replenishing our bodies.

Lunch, too, was a study in simplicity with sandwich wraps made from turkey breast lunch meat and sliced provolone topped with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and ranch dressing – a cool, no bake meal to beat the 107 degree heat of a monsoon rolling in. Even the afternoon snack, cinnamon popcorn, which we enjoyed during an hour of television, was basic, predictable, and comforting. Dinner came from a box (frozen shrimp) and a bag (microwave broccoli) to round out the day.

Now, as I’m writing this, my son is finishing up his last guitar class of the summer session at the local community college while Jeff and I are sharing a table at a nearby Target eatery. (This is a quiet spot where we can grab a cheap soda, sit in an air-conditioned building, and work on our respective projects in amiable silence.) Days like today – easy days filled with the small tasks of life shared with the guys I love – help me appreciate my existence. Although during hectic times I often forget how lucky I am, the easy simplicity of midsummer helps me remember.