I’ve just realised that I have everything I’ve always needed

[HappyHeader]

I’m not posting this to be smug or boastful as it’s not about possession etc. but I’m wondering has it ever hit you that life can be ok?

I’m sitting in my garden drinking a coffee, it’s sunny but breezy and the dog is snoozing by my feet. My husband is mowing the lawn and is generally just happy in the sunshine. We’re not worried about anything today, we’re just happy and healthy and content and really, really lucky.

This comes on the back of a few very difficult years. Serious health problem, depression, a traumatic bereavement with a resulting legal case that’s still ongoing and costing us hugely in terms of money and spirit. Things aren’t perfect- I worry about my elderly parent, I’m at a crossroads with work, lots of things going on, just like everyone else.

If you had asked me 20 years ago what I wanted, I think my response would have been much more ambitious than a coffee in a sunny garden with the gentle noises of a lawnmower and a snoring collie in the background, but I don’t think there’s any material thing at this moment that could make me happier. I have everything I need.

Does anyone else feel like this, or should I take it as a sign that I need to switch to decaff?

I sometimes feel I am very happy in my small world. My little terrace garden, my cats, not being in too much pain. The people I love are happy and pain free. Sunny day, glass of chilled white wine, smoking a joint, cuddling my cats.
Thinking about what delivery meal to have for dinner.
Pure bliss! Most days are too chaotic or my health is dodgy to get all those things just right, but when I have that moment. I could not need another thing in the world. 😁

Yes I feel you. Just returned from a solitary walk to a beautiful nature reserve.
I feel so rested and at peace.

This is where I am going to come across as smug-

I have a fantastic marriage. Life hasn’t always been easy for us, but we’re together a very long time and I love him more on my worst day than I could love anyone else on my best.

I realise this is 100% luck, and I know that things can change but I’m fortunate that our relationship has always been good, even when life was falling down around us.

He just makes very hard things much easier.

And to round off my smugness, and in recognition that my garden coffee has been replace by a patio G&T (or three), a little poem I think of often- Seamus Heaney’s Scaffolding.

Masons, when they start upon a building,
Are careful to test out the scaffolding;
Make sure that planks won’t slip at busy points,
Secure all ladders, tighten bolted joints.
And yet all this comes down when the job’s done
Showing off walls of sure and solid stone.
So if, my dear, there sometimes seem to be
Old bridges breaking between you and me
Never fear. We may let the scaffolds fall
Confident that we have built our wall.

Thank you @KnitFastDieWarm I’m live alone and am having a rubbish time at the minute (break up of 7 year relationship, health issues, skint) and feeling a bit lonely and fed up. But this has reminded me that back when I was in a miserable marriage I couldn’t wait to be by myself, that I’m skint because I moved to a low-stress, but low-earning self-employed job which I’m actually very happy in, and that I’ve taken real steps to protect my health (cut back on alcohol, quit weed, committed to yoga) this year which has taken me decades to do!
I will remember this saying every time I feel sorry for myself 🙂

Yes me too. I'm living the lifestyle I always wanted to live, and every night I get to go to bed with a man who loves me.

That's a lovely poem, I hadn't heard that one. It's a good analogy, I've definitely felt the scaffolding break a bit these past few years!

The most precious thing is time. We can all give ourselves more time by making the things we love doing the most important things we do.

Enjoy! Glad to hear you found happiness in the smaller things in life. 😎