This summer, my friends and I visited Rome. It was 40 degrees Celsius in shade. Every day we walked and walked, along and across Rome. We visited parks, gardens, museums, galleries, and churches, and walked some more.
It was almost unbearably hot under the Italian sun, but we didn’t stop. And if we stopped – when we found a chair in one of the galleries or a bench in one of the parks – I couldn’t help but notice how a simple act of sitting and resting my body caused a rush of joy.
While sitting is usually even too present in my life, because of a sedentary way of living and working, in those moments it was an incredible blessing for me.
And then, while I was sitting in a beautiful Roman gallery, I thought of all those things that we cherish only when they come as a contrast, as a novelty, or a desired change.
The first sunrays of dawn after a starless night.
The first fresh breeze after a long summer day.
Soft warmth of the sun after an endless winter.
Cold, clean mountain air after such a long time in the city.
First flower buds breaking through the snow.
After a grey and gloomy day, endless clouds covered in golden dusk.
After a restless day full of noise, faraway towns reflecting in the midnight sea.
To me, those contrasts are what makes these moments seen and valued. Those contrasts are the reason why I really notice them.
Warmth after a long winter, peace after noise, a splash of colours in a grey world, happiness after sorrow, love after loneliness. These moments are wished for.
But the thing is, I don’t want to wait and wish for things that are not currently here, just to enjoy them during those first few moments.
I don’t want my brother, my sister, my best friend, or my soulmate to long for love when they are alone, to long for peace when they are in a crowded room, or to wish for the company when they are all by themselves. I don’t want my close ones to wait for rain on a summer day or to seek sunshine during a gloomy autumn afternoon.
I want them to be fully present in the moment, cherish their time on this beautiful Earth, and find beauty in every part of the day or year.
Different things bear different kinds of beauty. Different moments, situations, and circumstances bring us different feelings, and show us different sides of our own beings – but I learn how to be alright with it.
I learn how to see the beauty and find joy in little, mundane things. How to cherish a rainbow in a grey city. How to cherish rain even if I miss endless summer days.
So, let’s change the list above.
The first sunrays of dawn. Hope and the beginning of incredible possibilities.
A starless night. Peace and quiet everywhere around us.
Fresh breeze. Cold awakening for all our senses.
A long summer day. Our plants that are heliophytes finally get what they need to thrive.
Soft warmth of the sun. It helps in creating vitamin D, and keeps us warm and cozy.
An endless winter. An opportunity for snow to fall and to supply rivers. An opportunity for ice-skating and sledding.
Cold, clean mountain air. Fulfillment for our lungs, and – if you hike – a perfect exercise for your muscles.
A long time in the city. Beautiful culture, incredible museums, concerts to remember. Saturday game nights with friends and Sunday lunch with a family. Incredible works of art and achievements in technology.
Flower buds. New life.
Snow cover. A shield that protects plants, reduces the heat loss of the surface, and stores water.
A grey and gloomy day. The perfect opportunity to enjoy hot cocoa while reading, writing, or playing board games.
Endless clouds covered in golden dusk. Well, this one is just pure happiness for me.
A restless day full of noise. A day that teaches us communication, functioning in a community, coping with more tasks at once, and connecting with others.
Far away towns reflecting in the midnight sea. Inspiration for songs and paintings, a silent cause of dreams about freedom, a silent sign that this world is big and wondrous.
Not a bad list, right?
And now – make your own.