Finding happiness and beauty in everyday things, and being thankful for them

Normally I look forward to June and the official start of summer. But between the Air France Rio-Paris flight (our organization lost two researchers), the Holocaust museum shooting, the Metro crash, one of my coworkers passing away suddenly...all in all there are many unfortunate things that have been happening that have hit really close to home. This month has been bad. (On a less serious note, because it’s not exactly life or death, I wasn’t offered a job I was interviewing for, a job I really wanted.)
Therefore I’m taking solace in the things I would normally overlook - small things I usually take for granted, things that are relatively inexpensive or free and make me happy. Here is my ode to small, beautiful everyday things.
To Yamaha:
Ok, so my digital piano was definitely not free, but I looove it. It makes me happy to make music. I’ve been practicing every day since I bought it for myself for my birthday in May. It feels like a real piano. I’m finally learning how to play the Moonlight Sonata and Erik Satie’s Gymnopédie. Props to my hubby for putting up with my practicing and occasional false notes.
To the kid who wrote on the sidewalk:
I was walking to work the other day through Foxhall Village, a cute neighborhood with Tudor-style houses. You had written on the sidewalk with colorful chalk: “Be happy with your life. Be good to the Earth.” Somehow these words really resonated with me and I’ve been repeating those phrases to myself. I love their simplicity and sincerity. I love that at your age, however old you are, you have the wisdom to understand what’s really important and remind us adults not to lose perspective.
To the two mourning doves that have nested on our windowsill:
We’ve dubbed you Rocky and Roxy, and a week ago you pulled a fast one on us, and out of nowhere your two little chicks appeared in the nest. You seem to not mind our presence too much, and we certainly try not to disturb you, but I love peeking at you in the morning and evening to see how your little ones are growing and changing. They have soft little grey feathers, and you both have taupe feathers and dark eyes rimmed in light blue. The vine growing up the side of our building provides a bit of shade for you and the windowsill is definitely a sturdy place to have built your nest. I hope you stay. I fancy myself a birdwatcher now.
To Blurb’s Booksmart:
Ingenious! I use you to publish my own books, filled with photos and text and entirely designed by me. My mom loved her Mother’s Day present, and it didn’t even break the bank.
To the Georgetown public pool on Volta:
Thank you for being free. I love swimming in the summer after work. I also like watching happy dogs run around the park next to the pool.
And speaking of dogs, here’s to Stella:
You are filling a big hole in my family’s life. I like how you jump up and wrap your paws around my waist to give me a hug, and I like to watch you swim in the creek at Fisher Park. And to Padawan and Lilly: We all love to spoil you, and you both deserve it.
Bubbleicious: I've rediscovered something from childhood and it makes me happy.