Fill Your Day With the Little Things

Forget grand plans

Here I am drifting in our little row boat on the winter lake at Evergreen.

I’m almost halfway through 2026, and so are you.

A glance at my Goals for 2026, stuck in the front flap of my diary, shows that I’m way off target.

I’m supposed to have written at least half of another gift book by now, mastered the body artistry of Tai Chi and memorised the esoteric meanings of all 78 cards in a Tarot deck.

After mentally flagellating myself for months of procrastination I calm down and call to mind all the things I have done towards achieving these things.

I’ve created an outline for the gift book. I’ve watched many video clips of Tai Chi and tried to make flowing movements with my limbs while looking over my left shoulder at the screen to imitate what the instructor is doing. And now at least I know that the Fool of Tarot is a lot like me – a hopeless, happy human.

So, three hearty cheers for me for doing that much.

And three hearty cheers for you too, for all you’ve done so far this year!

Let’s not see how far we must go to reach our grand yearly goals. Let’s notice how far we’ve come. Let’s also see all the little things we’ve done that make each day worth living.

The Little Things

It’s satisfying to have goals listed so we have a general direction to head for, but goals are just a part of the whole. In between all the endeavouring, it’s good to loosen our grip on the proverbial steering wheel of our life.  

Make time to do any or all of the following:

• Potter in the garden.

• Fiddle in the kitchen.

• Drift in a boat.

• Wander to the car.

• Languish under the stars.

• Tinker at the keyboard.

• Play in the shed.

• Mull over a book.

• Frog-kick in the sea.

Which reminds me of a quote from a remarkable polymath, the German writer and philosopher Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe:

Every day we should hear at least one little song,

read one good poem, see one exquisite picture, and, if possible, speak a few sensible words.

So today I’ll listen to the Beatles’ song “Hey, Jude”, read Mary Oliver’s poem, “Nothing Is Too Small Not to Be Wondered About”, look online at Marc Chagall’s painting The Promenade, and on this page I hope I’ve spoken a few sensible words.

With love, Marlane