The Queen of Simple Pleasures

I love birthday cards! Actually, I love all cards. Many years ago, when I was stuck in an extremely unhappy marriage, I would sneak off to the grocery store and read all the funny greeting cards.

Cards still have the same effect on me today. My birthday is January 1st, so I just celebrated the start of my last year before I turn 60. One of the cards I got was from my “little” sister - she’s still got five years until she hits the big 6-0.

She wrote in the card, “Happy Birthday to the Queen of Simple Pleasures.” I was delighted. What a wonderful way to be described! And on reflection I realized its true. Yippee!

It really doesn’t take much to make me happy or bring me joy and I’m so thankful for that. For instance, on my birthday I took myself out for “linner” – my word for lunch/dinner and asked for a quiet spot so that I could journal about the year behind and my hopes for the year ahead. This is an annual tradition for me – starting a new journal on New Year’s Day.

I jumped right in and was busy eating and writing, when I looked up and saw a lovely woman hauling a baby carrier towards the table next to me. I couldn’t see the baby. Didn’t even try. Instead, I thought, “Oh, crap.” I envisoned a crying papoose ruining my quiet time.

But when I looked up the woman was putting the cutest baby I’ve seen in years into a high chair and I melted. Here was a chubby-cheeked, curly-haired baby with the sweetest expression I’ve gazed upon since I stared at my own children. In fact, the child greatly resembled my daughter when she was about a year old.

I tried to tear my eyes away, but I just couldn’t. He was a bit of a flirt and his mother, who was eventually joined by her husband, didn’t mind the attention at all. Thank goodness, because I was smitten.

For about 45 minutes, I communed with the child with silent smiles and little waves with an occasional comment to his mom and dad. I returned dutifully to my journal, but was regularly pulled away by his gurgles and happy laughter. Finally, I’d eaten my fill and come to the end of my writing for the time being and gathered up my belongings.

When I walked out, I paused to thank the parents who had let me enjoy their baby so much. I told them it was my birthday and I couldn’t imagine a better present that just to spend time soaking in how precious their son was. I meant it.

So, when it gets right down to it – I guess I’d rather have that very simple pleasure and others like it than all the money, travel and luxury in the world. I am the Queen!
One last thing – Hail to the Queen! (I mean what’s the sense in being Queen if no one hails you, right?)