Simple Happiness

I try everyday to find a moment of AWE or a simple beautiful moment of serenity and peace. My husband and I share those moments with one another every day.
I have cut gardenias next to my bed; favorite candles in my bathroom and photos of my family around me.

@greengold

I started going straight Vegan. I, too, found that vegetables did have a good taste without the butter, salt, and pepper. My doctors had told me to stop or reduce my salt intake before I went Vegan. I get four meals from one package (12 ozs) of meat from HBS. I add one vidalia onion--I quarter it. A 1 pound package of small potatoes, 8 oz of mushrooms, and various vegs. Occasionally, I make a stew using veg broth. I use the following spices: Lemon-pepper, garlic powder (not garlic salt), paprika, and dill weed. The dill weed is to remind me of when I was growing up.

@rollingf sounds delicious! Thanks

@greengold
Welcome, Canada! You’re always such a breath of fresh air for us.

@greengold my docs like me to do the Mediterranean diet with a few adjustments….i can have treats, but small and not too many…keep my eye on sugars and fats. I don’t feel limited at all. Docs also urged me away from all alcohol and fizzy sodas, no problem, plenty else to enjoy !

@calofmichigan Canadian here too... too old/ill to travel now but wonderful holidays/visits to SanFrancisco, Fort Myers and once LasVegas for weekend .... enjoyed every minute. Appreciate this site and the friendly help and concern exchanged, J.

@newrochelle1131 ...unfortunately, two adult daughters but no grandchildren for us... nice you can spend time with them, I think it would have brought me/spouse a lot of happiness too.

@calofmichigan
Hello back American friend! I am also a retired nurse.

I suppose we all learnt the First sense of taste and touch as we sucked at our mothers' breasts.
Soon there was the magic of sound and sight, and probably some pleasant smell too.
All Five senses were awakened to welcome us to the Pleasures in life.
No wonder we end up having problems if our basic pleasures are obstructed.
But we never Had to remind ourselves to Not Over- or Under-consume Any pleasures. Looks nature has done a marvelous job to help us become fully blossoming beings.
In my 82 years I never had to ever be concerned about being over- or underweight. After all like every newborn, I too found life itself much more beguiling to Over-indulge in Any activity: Pleasures are all around us, especially those that require the use of arms and legs. As a play theorist has said: Opposite of play is not work, it's depression.
Yes, I've smoked half a pack a day in my thirties and would eat a whole broiled chicken in one sitting but never feeling the need to eat More than what I Felt for. I guess it was because all my needs and senses had near optimal satisfaction: physical, social, intellectual.
It is for this reason, I believe, overweight is a Symptom of out unmet needs. We over-consume in many ways because we are under-satisfied in our vital needs.
Our lives are too precious to need counting and weighing of foods and exertions both mental and physical.
For me 'healthy plate' from universities' health departments are good enough. Half plate is fruit and veggies; a quarter is plant-based or seafood proteins, last quarter complex carbs such as whole grains and brown rice.
And lastly. good music I think is hard to do without.
So far it all seems to keep me away from doctors and meds, few tests. But I have infirmities but will not stop me from living a purposeful life.

@greengold
Also a retired nurse here! Happy for the knowledge it gave me, not only to help others but to understand what ails me later in life without panicking.