Published on 12, July, 2020
For me it's various things, some of which are (in no particular order):
Quietude in myself, quiet in my surroundings
Being alone or being with people I care about (preferably one at a time)
Being with animals and insects, especially studying how they spend their days
Being at home, in my bedroom, reading a novel
Being in nature away from the noise made by people
Watching a bird flying high in the sky, especially a raptor
Looking at the moon
Being creative
Music. Singing music, listening to it, making it. Music lifts me to another better place.
Family bring me a lot of joy, seeing and being with them is important to me.
Charity. Like raising money and helping different charities. Helping others brings me much joy.
Sitting in the churchyard.
Watching the ducks in the pond.
Trains. I love the sound of them going along the tracks, I love the scenery when travelling on them.
Being surrounded by nature.
Cats are lovely there so soft and make lovely friends
When the first nasturtium flower of the season comes out. It's the deepest brightest orange and just sings to my heart.
The wildflowers "weeds" on the roadsides and paths.
The night sky but I mean PROPER NIGHT sky away from light pollution.
Pegging the washing out on a nice day.
Eating my breakfast and enjoying all meals.
The smell of hawthorn.
Seeing seedlings poke up through the soil.
My homemade compost brings joy to my heart.
The colours of nature, in particular I enjoyed all the shades of green on my most recent walk.
Listening to music....like I used to before there were any distractions.
Spending time with family and friends....spending time alone.
Edit: thunderstorms and the sublime
I have said to two friends I am content with my life and they didnt seem to get it. Look for and appreciate the small things. Contentedness means we are not constantly striving for happiness but appreciating what we already have. It's interesting how no one has said buying stuff or watching the news or using social media makes them happy or content.
Oh I'm totally with you about the raptors....we are blessed with Kites and Buzzards around here and it feel it lift my very soul when I see them.
My cats bring me joy.
I love to walk in the woods.
Being in the garden, listening to birds whilst out there or watching a butterfly or bee visit the flowers. Watching success when seeds planted grow and seeing flowers come into bloom. Smelling the scent of flowers.
Walking in nature when it is quiet on my own or with my husband. Stopping to watch birds along the path or flying in the sky. Looking at the sea and watching the tide going to and fro.
Peace when no neighbours are doing DIY.
Listening to music and doing puzzles.
Great discussion!
Yes Shardovan! Completely agree
I would have been as good at Maths as you as a schoolboy Robert. Unfortunately with age i lost interest.On Maps. I was very excited about car journey's with family as i became the navigator!
‘The feel of the pages’ yes! No kindles for us Books smell great too. Usually.
The moon was incredible last night. I’m in my sisters house as I stayed over to let the cat out at 3 am. No caf flap. Anyway, the bed I slept on top of is next to a big picture window. So lying there it’s like being outside and inside at the same time. And the moon, wreathed in ribbons of cloud, was captivating. Even if a little disruptive to sleep. I didn’t want to start fiddling with the blind in case I broke it.
I like being in my workshop on my own,
Listening to audiobooks with headphones is a whole new world for me.
Walking in woodland is lovely and quiet.
I like being in the greenhouse and seeing how something I planted now has life and growth.
I love sleeping under my weighted blanket, I don’t know how it works but I actually get to finally sleep.
The biggest contentment is, I now don’t always mask in front of my wife, she is the only person who has ever seen me as the real me. It’s hard to explain, it’s often small things like not having to false smile and stim if I need or want to.
Sitting around nature.
Music on quiet
Peace and quiet usually in my room sometimes in the garden
Being with my mum.
Drawing
The sea
I'm on sertraline as well.
For me I'm happiest the most when:
Spending time with animals, understanding their personalities, characteristics and how they interact with each other. Animals can be great teachers.
Being in nature, sitting on the grass as it makes me feel grounded and feeling the sun shining down ( only for about 10mins then I get too hot and uncomfortable and revert back to the shade haha)
Reading in general but opening a new paperback book because of the feel of the pages.
Listening to music usually from the 60s and 70s
Being immersed in my interest of the 50s/60s and 70s era fashion, gadgets, art and crafts cars etc
Spending time with my 3 closest family members.
Playing an instrument
Looking up at the clouds drifting by when I'm lying on the grass or watching the moon and the stars at night
I also had atlases and collections of maps as a child. I understood all the different symbols on ordinance survey maps.
What I couldn't understand is why other children and even adults struggled to read maps.
Me too. I loved Atlases and maps as a kid.
I find reading this,
much easier than socialising with people.
I concentrated on Trigonometry!
I'm on page 712 of Calculus a complete course.