.Things to Look Forward to. *

*when things seem sad, weird or grey.

I have always been a cheerful sort of person, able to find the silver lining in just about any cloud, but sometimes times are rough, and I, or we all need a little uplift when simply trying to remain hopeful does not help. It is important, even in hard times not to lose sight of the beauty and wonder and delight.

The other morning, standing under the hot shower, I decided I needed to make a list of things to look forward to. I thought perhaps other people might need such a list too, and maybe they could collect their own things, and together we would build a whole stockpile. No matter how gloomy the clouds, I told myself, there is always something bright – even if we have to squint to see it. Even if we have to create it ourselves. Here are some things to keep in mind:

1. The sun is coming up. President Barack Obama once said, “No matter what happens, the sun will rise in the morning.”
2. Coffee and Cafés.
3. A hot shower. I never take a hot shower for granted and never underestimate its power to make me feel better.
4. Baking something for someone.
5. Hugging a friend.
6. Kissing.
7. Learning something new.
8. A new word. Words like “staffage”, the little figures in a landscape painting; or “hispid”, meaning “covered in bristles.” My goal is to use them casually in conversations.
9. Applause. See a play, concert, etc. Uniting with strangers, sharing an experience, and expressing our joy in collective applause is one of life’s pleasures. Or applaud your partner for a dinner well cooked.
10. First snow.
11. A cup of tea. If coffee is the boost that propels you into the day, a cup of tea is the soft landing when you inevitably come back down. Comforting, reassuring, procrastinating tea. Sometimes the idea of tea will suffice; it is enough just to put the kettle on.
12. Flowers.
13. Listening or songs and singing along.
14. Scattering wildflower seeds.
15. A flock of birds.
16. Patting a dog.
17. Rain. Especially, warm summer rain.
18. Rainbows.
19. Giving a present.
20. Opening a present.
21. A full moon.
22. Skinny dipping. Before we were born, we floated naked in warm waters; then we grow up and put on clothes. Most of us spend the day with our bum on a seat and our feet on the ground. If the opportunity presents itself I shed my clothes and jump into my icy pond.
23. Collecting stones. Heart-shaped ones.
24. Seeing the sea.
25. Rereading favourite bits of a favourite book.
26. Reading. Period.
27. Clean laundry.
28. Clean bedsheets.
29. Moving the furniture around.
30. Reorganising things.
31. Finding something you thought you had lost.
32. Tidying up.
33. Dinner. With my loved ones.
34. Visiting a museum.
35. Finishing something. Like my new book which will be published in July 2023.
36. Falling in love.
37. Writing a letter. We dash off electronic messages all the times, but when we sit down to write a letter, we think more about the person reading it. Will they rip it open and read it right away? Will they put the kettle on and take their time? Will they write back?
38. Receiving a letter. Does anybody, besides me, still write letters?
39. Feeding the birds.
40. Working up a sweat. Pilates, Yoga, Jogging, whatever makes you happy.
41. A drink of water.
42. A nap.
43. Growing your own food.
44. Harvesting.
45. Walking in cemeteries. I walk in a cemetery to remember the dead, to peer into the mausoleums, to admire the mossy stone angels. You might visit loved ones or to wander the garden, to watch for birds, to look for names – for a child, a pet, a character in your new novel? Either way, it is hard not to leave a cemetery feeling alive and happy to be here on earth, grateful for the brief time allotted us, isn’t it?
46. Going somewhere. If we are lucky, we can look forward to leaving our regular lives behind for a while. We might pack a few belongings in a suitcase and go somewhere else for a change of pace, a new perspective, a different scene. We might take a train to the next town or chase the north’s lights across the Arctic Circle. No matter where we go or how we get there or who we meet or how long our stay away is, sooner or later, we will look forward to coming home.
47. Coming home. It is a wonderful thing to travel and see the world, and an even better thing to come home. To unlock the doors and drop your bags and do your laundry and open your mail and put on the kettle and make tea. To kick off your shoes and take a hot shower and climb into bed and rest your head and pick up your book and read half a page and fall asleep and dream and dream.
48. Making a list. If you are in a rut, if you feel overwhelmed by gloom, if you are exhausted and uninspired and out of sorts, you can make a list of things to look forward to. Simple things, everyday things. Things that don’t cost money. Things you can do without leaving the house. Things that bring you pleasure. Things that you don’t want to take for granted. Things that may never actually happen but are fun to look forward to all the same. And if you make such a list, you can share it with a friend, and it might make us all feel better.
49. Seizing the day. For all this talk of looking forward, most of the things on this list can be done right now. If we make the most of today, we will have a better future. If we view time as a gift, we will be less likely to squander it. If we look for beauty, we will sure to find it. If we help our neighbours, it will lift our spirits. If we finish something, we can begin anew. If we open our minds, we will expand our brains. If we plant some seeds, there is a chance they will sprout. If we pick the flowers, more will come. If we use up our ideas, we will think of others. If we remember the dead, we will feel more alive. If we are kind to ourselves, we will be kinder all around. And if all of this fails and it is one of “those days”, then there is always tomorrow. No matter what happens, the sun will come up. You will see.