Over time, things move quickly and sometimes even faster than we expect. Not too long ago, it felt like yesterday, we were probably having the time of our lives as kids and not worrying so much about what could happen next. All that was important at that given time was the availability of food and whether our friends would come out and play with us.
Now fast forward a couple of years down the line, and we are chasing goals, achievement, meaning, life purpose, daily bread and self-independence. All these, which we have used to convince ourselves, will bring us happiness and freedom. Here lies the interesting truth I am beginning to realize with each day that passes by in the chapter of my life. The beauty of life lies in the simple things that we may sometimes overlook.
They may seem like nothing on the surface, but everything when thought about on a larger scale. The first example I would give is the early hours of the day. Have you ever tried to look out the window in the early hours of the day, and I am talking about times like 2, 3 or 4 am. How quiet it could be. I know so many argue it is not, especially in Lagos, because of the early morning workers who are leaving for work. Then, try it on the weekends. There is a subtle way I get around this time. Where even an argument from a house far away could still bring little sounds to your doorstep.
The tranquillity with such an example is the peace that the earliest hours bring with it. There is no loud noise of people, people going through their daily activities, and this is the time when sleep becomes sweet because of the morning fog. Now I totally get why wealthy people choose to buy estates far from the city, or try to exclude the noise as much as possible.
My next simple thing in life is the beauty and availability of food. Not just any food, something you are craving. Probably after a heinous day at the office, you return to a well-cooked jollof with the smoky aroma and taste popping out of the place where it sits peacefully with a barbecued turkey and graced with the presence of some creamy salad and a well-above-room-temperature fruit juice. You can not tell me, after a lovely meal, you have not thought to yourself that food should be included among the wonders of the world. There is nothing like eating a nice meal from the hands that were made to hold ingredients just like mine. It goes to say that we could have a nice meal, but because of how simple it may seem, we can forget that it is one of the things that make this world a place that is worth living in.
Lastly, the presence of good music has to be one of the simplest things in this life that I enjoy. I have come across quotes that say the world will be a boring movie if there was no colour to beautify it. It would simply be watching a movie in black and white, which I doubt we have done in a while. This is where the presence of different individuals from different cultural heritages and backgrounds is one thing I find fascinating about this world.
Now take that to music. Imagine there was a world where there was no music. What will that look like? I doubt there would be any other word to describe it aside from unbearable. The joy music brings goes beyond all measure, that is why it is a universal language in this world we live in. It cannot be excluded from our daily life, at least for me.
Here is a song I’ve been playing on repeat
https://youtu.be/29GWMT0GB6s?si=cl9z6nv7ORpA-8PE
These are some of the simple things of life that I find beautiful and meaningful to me. What is yours?
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