The Beauty in Everyday Life

Part of the reason I am on this inquiry into living the creative life is that I just want to be happier.

I am tired of the sarcasm, pessimism, materialism and nihilism that our culture is chock full of. And I am tired of those urges within myself. I don't want to focus on what's wrong with the world, or on what's wrong with myself. I don't want to make lists of all the things I don't have and need to go out and buy. I don't want to put other people down or stare at celebrities for their flaws. I don't want to be snarky, and I don't want to dissect every beautiful thing for the worm.

Actually, I want to find the beauty in that worm. I want to enjoy my ordinary life. I want to be thankful for what I have. I want to be here, right now, and appreciate the very livingness.

I know it's not cool to be happy, but it sure feels better.

I'd rather be happy than cool.

In light of that, I'd like to share a couple of posts that helped me remember how to find the beauty in my everyday life and why I want to. Electric Boogaloo and Soulemama are both so inspiring and are living the creative life with their kids on a daily basis. Thanks ladies for reminding me of one of my own creative living moments with my kids yesterday, on Mother's day.

G, Ivy and I were in the garden, watching polywogs in the pond, when G took my hand and started to dance. Ivy watched from down the path until I had G take one of her hands, and I took her other, and then the three of us danced in the middle of the garden next to the pond, tinkling away it's own music, and I sang the dancing song, and we only stopped because Papa called us inside to eat the delicious brunch he made.

So there was my creative moment, the happiness of being a mom and being open to whatever comes. There was being present to the positive, and not staying stuck in the hardship of life.

There was living.