Somerset Studios, March/April 2011

Simplicity is a state of mind! Simple pleasures are the millions of tiny miracles that take our breath away. Gazing at the fiery brilliance of the sun melting into the horizon, the smell of fresh cut hay, the sound of a light rain hitting a tin roof or the invigorating feeling of jumping into a cool mountain spring of a hot summers day, are a few experiences that come to mind.

But what are simple pleasures to one person can be an occurrence totally overlooked by another person. We must wake up the senses and cultivate a receptive attitude to appreciate that which is simple. Simplicity is a state of mind. If we’re all up in our mind mulling over the day’s to-do list, we miss the subtle nuances in life…the moisture in the air before a storm, the illuminated palm trees reflection in the pool and people’s facial expressions speak volumes their words do not express. It is through the language of the heart and not the chatter of the mind that we become attuned to life’s more profound moments.

This pondering led to the idea of making 25 hearts, one for each letter of the alphabet (minus X), and putting an action word or attitude on each heart. These words, like “gratitude”, “enthusiastic” and “authentic” represent attitudes that can enrich our lives. A word like “bohemian”, when embraced, help us live a little less conventionally and become more flamboyant in our creative endeavors. If we refine our lives and develop qualities like wisdom and optimism and practices like meditation and yoga we can enjoy rich, poignant moments. It is so easy to live in the memories of the past or jump ahead to thinking about the future, but it’s in the present moment where simple pleasures live.

Gain Distance from Negative Thoughts by Author e’Layne Kelley (elaynekelley.com)