I just realized something really interesting, something I probably should have recognized years ago. But only recently did I appreciate the importance of feeling good.
Now, don’t get me wrong. There are lots of things that make us all feel good. A good meal, a good movie, maybe meeting someone new and connecting right away, any of these generally make us feel good. But I’m talking about feeling really, really great. Something that doesn’t happen all that often.
Here’s an example of what I am thinking about. Last week, I was sitting in the backyard doing nothing. All of the sudden, I heard the birds singing, felt the breeze on my face, saw the beautiful trees swaying and I thought to myself, “I really feel great, greater than I have felt in a long time.”
A few health issues have kept me from enjoying many of the normal pleasures to which I have become accustomed, but that didn’t matter. I just felt great.
That got me to thinking: how often have I had that euphoric feeling in the last few years. Not very often.
Seems Lady M and I keep our plates so full, we don’t take time out just to enjoy what is going on around us and getting that feeling of “ain’t life grand.” Well folks, take it from me, it is.
If you haven’t felt that way for a while, maybe you can take a walk. Personally, I think walking is the supreme waste of time. Who wants to walk and not get anywhere? Lots of people, I know. But not me. I guess that comes with being an “A” personality. If I’m going to walk, I want to get somewhere, not just go nowhere and end up where I started.
I have a good friend, Melinda, who takes long walks several days each week. Her routine makes her the picture of health and she says she really enjoys her daily walk. Well, I don’t know how she does it. Seeing the same houses, being barked at by the same dogs, tripping over the same sidewalk cracks, that’s not my idea of fun.
Now if I take my new Golden Retriever, Annie, for a walk, that is a little different, She always points out a tree, utility pole, or fire hydrant that she somehow missed sniffing the last time we walked on that street. Or, she finds a nice piece of trash to pick up and bring to me. But sometimes, I think even she gets bored.
So, now I am on the lookout for more of those unpretentious little things that make me feel so good. I have found that certain pieces of music have that effect. I will just stop and listen to the words and concentrate on the melody and get that feeling. Or, I will re-read a paragraph in a book because it just was so eloquently written that it makes me want to read it again. Lady M gets a high from looking at a full moon. Not only is it absolutely beautiful to her, it also makes her feel romantic. And I like that!
Maybe this is all silly to you, but if you haven’t tried it, I suggest you give it a chance. You might be surprised, as I was.
One other thing that I observed in the last couple of weeks is the constant introduction of new phrases into our vocabulary. I can’t remember hearing the phrase, “I’ve got your back” until recently. Great saying, very descriptive but new. Or have I missed something. There is also the “I graduated high school” statement. In the past, we would say, “I graduated from high school.” What happened to the preposition?
On the other hand, there are words that we hear for the first time in a very long time that almost sound new. Last week, I heard a news reader on KCBS reporting on how a woman’s suitcase had fallen from her car and her “unmentionables” were all over the freeway. Can you believe it? Her unmentionables. I haven’t heard that since my mother used it to describe my sisters’ undies. God forbid she should say brassier or panties in front of my dad or me.
So, when you have a chance, find something that makes you feel really high. Then find a word that describes it. Who knows, you might come up with something really neat.
Henry “Hank” Miller is a retired rocket scientist, he has an interest in classic automobiles, good conversation, martinis and community affairs. Reach him at
ha******@gm***.com
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