Hand-Stuffed Olives and Other Small Pleasures

More than two years ago I bought a lovely vintage-type book with blank pages, titled The Quest of Happy Hearts, from my creative young friend Alyssa. My intention was to keep it by my bedside and each day jot down all my deep thoughts and profound ideas. It turned out that, though other people apparently acquire life-changing insights on a daily basis, mine are embedded too deeply in my subconscious to regurgitate them on command at 10:00 Central Standard Time each night—charming hand-crafted journal notwithstanding. And said profundities were always competing for attention with the current book club selection on the nightstand. Alas, my journal languished unopened in the drawer.


At the same time, I’d fallen into the habit of dwelling on certain anxiety-producing situations in my life, leading to insomnia and excessive weight loss (yeah, sure— just hallucinating from lack of sleep for a moment). Time to put Plan B into action: My New Year’s resolution for 2011 was to keep a gratitude journal to remind myself of even the smallest things in my life for which I should be thankful each day. Obviously not an original idea, but a goal that seemed more easily attainable than the deep-thoughts business because I wouldn’t have to rely solely on creativity. I envisioned the sunny disposition I would develop as a result of this simple exercise, what with the glass-half-full mentality and hours of extra slumber I’d reap. “What a sweetheart,” my co-workers would murmur admiringly as I toiled tirelessly and amiably, interjecting thoughtful comments in long meetings and defusing flared tempers.

So now it’s November, and my resolution this year proved to work out about as well as all my past ones. Meetings at work are still long and boring, and few (none) of my co-workers, friends or family members have remarked on my uncannily serene temperament. My still-blank journal mocked me as we headed into this annual season of thankfulness, so I put it back into the top drawer. But, in the spirit of the season and to kick-start Project Self-Improvement 2012, I thought of several things to get me started toward achieving that “attitude of gratitude.” Here are a few of the really small things in life that give a little serotonin boost to my brain’s pleasure center:

1)      The electric butt-warmer in my car’s seat.

2)      Our 4-year-old granddaughter Catie, dressed as a cheerleader for Halloween, shaking her pompons and chanting , “Goooooo, Hot Guys!” (She’s used to hearing her dad cheer for the Iowa Hawkeyes.)

3)      Placing an online order for an odd-sized patio furniture cover, impossible to find in stores, and having it arrive on my doorstep in three days.

4)      Using the “Live” button on the cable TV remote to pause a show while I run to the kitchen for a handful of chocolate chips, then coming back and starting the show right where I left off. I have NO IDEA how or why this works. It’s magic.

5)      Handfuls of chocolate chips.

6)      The unbelievable sunsets for a few days as I drove home from work around 6:00 p.m., just before the return to standard time.

7)      Putting on a pair of jeans I haven’t worn in two years, and they still fit. (I’ve battled a weight problem all my life. See Item 5.)

8)      The luxurious, soft fur on our cat, Gramps.

9)      Hearing Journey’s “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’” on the radio, and cranking up the volume on the “na na na na na”s.

10)   Online word games and computer Solitaire. (I know, waste of time. But I’m addicted.)

11)   Getting to the end of a yoga workout and lying inert for several minutes in “corpse” pose.

12)   Finding the box of red Wine4Grilling on sale at World Market, just in time for holiday entertaining. High class, we are indeed.

13)   The colossal pitted green olives that Curt stuffs by hand with Maytag blue cheese. The only reason one needs to drink a martini.

Lest anyone think my list incredibly shallow, I hasten to add that the huge blessings—family, health, love, security, friendship—are definitely worthy of gratitude. But while these things can ebb and flow, we can all find tiny delights in each day to remind us that life is a gift.

So I’ve got my first entries for The Quest of Happy Hearts. But I must add that I’m especially thankful for my handsome, brainy, supportive, faithful and all-around talented husband. Not every man would stuff olives for me.