don't forget the small stuff

We have all been brainwashed enough by dear Oprah into not sweating the small stuff (from this book by Richard Carlson). And a lot of the ideology makes sense: don't stress yourself into oblivion over taxi drivers who cut you off in traffic, flyovers that take three years to build, the way the pool turns green after one day of rain, the way some people think farting in a queue at Clicks is socially acceptable. Especially in South Africa, we deal with a lot of everyday frustrations that come with living in a 1/3 first world, 2/3 third world country.

Lately I've been thinking that I don't put enough emphasis on the small stuff in my life. The wonderful little things that go unnoticed in my effort to "not sweat the (bad, annoying) small stuff". It's easier to think of the big things, like being happily married and owning our own home and going to an awesome church. The small blessings are a little harder:

1. we have a pool (see above for the consistent moaning I am trying to avoid)
2. when I crunched my big toe on the paving outside, my two soft and furry dogs licked away my tears
3. my mint grew back after some weird black fungus killed it off (couscous salad anyone?)
4. I haven't ironed a stitch of clothing in nearly two years (Sibongile, our housekeeper, is a saint and I would be a complete, dirty nutter without her)
5. this morning I saw a pair of loeries in my garden
6. the contacts solution ran out, and we had a spare in the bathroom cupboard (lesson: always buy two of these things, else you WILL be wearing your glasses on a mountain bike ride)
7. my husband not only knows a killer flapjack recipe off by heart, he loves making them for me
8. Kim and Kanye named their child North West. Laughing for days. Let the other silly naming commence, NO-ONE can beat that one
9. this worship song...Oh happy days!
10. Panda put her mean cat tendencies aside and cuddled up to Chloe in front of the gas heater. I have no words for the cuteness.

                         

The quote above is from here. The photo-quote is all mine - don't you just love a beautiful blue African sky?