Enjoy the simple things

We are privileged to live in a country with clean rivers, swimmable oceans and beautiful walks. It shouldn’t be easy to forget, but sometimes it proves to be with the variety of technologies available from our household. From television, laptops, cellphones and tablets there is no shortage of information available at our fingertips.

For the past few weeks Mark and I have been so busy and tired that enjoying what we have on our rural New Zealand doorstep has been overlooked. Shamefully, we have resorted to technology in our down time far too often. While there are obviously the benefits that come with technology, there are also the negatives like the anti-social behaviours, unhealthy comparisons and the overwhelm that can come from so much information.

The other day I read to Mark a post by @rubyalicerose which was a beautiful reminder that we need to remember to enjoy the simple things and switch off sometimes.

Today we went down to the river as a family. Other than the farm dogs, we didn’t have to share the river bed with anyone. There was no cellphone coverage, no television, just all that the beautiful New Zealand setting could offer.

We fished, swam and ate peanut butter sandwiches on the uneven rocks overlooking the riverbed. Mark and I played knuckle bones with stones while Lottie grabbed handfuls of pebbles and dropped them in little piles around us.

Mark and I had some competitive banter and talked about how happy Lottie was but there were long periods of peaceful silence. We didn’t need to talk. There was something so relaxing about just sitting and enjoying the sound of the river flowing past, the leaves swaying above us and the birds chirping around us. Lottie was unusually quiet, very rarely making a peep as she continued to look around at the new setting she found herself in. She smiled as she watched the dogs making splashes in the water and her father accidentally dropping his dried apricot in the sand.

Upon our arrival home, things were calm and relaxed. We were not talking about social media, we were not talking about cropping options, we were not talking about the latest in the Harry and Meghan saga. We joked about Lottie looking like a sugary donut, having been layered in far too much sunblock for someone wanting to roll around in sand, talked about how special the afternoon was and how important it is to continue to do this in the future.

The natural setting we enjoyed served as an important reminder to stop and smell the roses sometimes. It’s a fast paced and busy world. We are lucky to live in a country where options for peace and sanity are endless. Treat yourself.