This afternoon I was walking from the florist where I acquired three small plants. First since I adopted my first cat, Java, who was eating them and getting sick. On my way back, I decided to stop at the coffee shop and grab a latte. I have a dual personality where I like my coffee strong and black, but I also love caffe latte. The air was cold but the sun was warming me at the same time. I was listening to the Secular Buddhism podcast which is wisdom condensed in a short format of 20 to 30 minutes. At some point, I realized that I was overly happy. I was smiling and feeling good.
What happened? I wasn’t visiting a new country or having drinks with friends. After all, I was only walking back home. This walk was embellished with little pleasures of mine: a podcast and a chilly but sunny day. I was also drinking a beverage I like while getting some green for my cozy home. Truth be told, I didn’t go much to physical stores since the pandemic started. The current situation is causing me a lot of anxiety. The last time I had a latte was in February: I avoided anything from the outside world as much as possible. Damn, I miss coffee shops, but it’s another topic. All that made me realize two things. First, I went beyond what I was capable of covid-wise without feeling too anxious. Trust me, this one is a huge win! Actually, I felt alive for the first time today since the beginning of this new world we live in. Secondly, happiness is in the small things. Quite intense for a trivial afternoon…
Maybe there is a third learning opportunity from today: we should stop chasing happiness, and be content with what we have and who we are… Don’t you think?
