30th September 2020

Beside my bed, on the little antique cupboard that was one of my first ever purchases when I had my first home, sits a little gold box. It was given to me as a gift. On the lid of the box it has two words in gold leaf ingrained, ‘Small Pleasures’.

When you open the box, there are two sections inside which are small cards, smaller than business cards. On one side of each card is a picture, and on the other is a phrase or description of the picture. Each one describes a different ‘Small Pleasure’. Random things that at first appearance of the image seems quite ordinary, and when you read the words it’s like a little light pops in your head and you think, ‘Oh… yeah!’ Things like: a crackling fire; the stars; a long journey in an empty train carriage; the first day of feeling well again; cradling someone; getting the giggles in adulthood; snowdrops and daisies. You can imagine others I’m sure.

Things which make you smile. Simple moments. I don’t look inside that little box enough. And I don’t stop to think of the small pleasures of everyday life which I take for granted. So I am stopping to think of them now, in this moment. The sound of someone mowing their grass, the tinkle of recycling in the street, a green hillside with the sun’s rays illuminating it. My Yoda mug filled with warm blackcurrant. Small pleasures that so often I forget exist all around me, all the time, if only I stop and pay attention.

I keep that little box beside my bed so I don’t forget…

Rachel Haig