Searching for gold...

I am focusing on the good stuff. The world in 2021 is still a hard place to be. Covid cases continue to rise, new variants appear regularly, restrictions get tightened and the rolling out of the vaccine feels painfully slow. I have stopped watching the news or checking statistics and instead try to find little nuggets of joy in the confines of my ever decreasing world such as...

- the instant pick me up of a blue sky

- a quiet coffee

- anything exciting arriving in the post (thank you Lee!)

- a good sleep

- the glorious light and cloud formations we see as we walk home from school, worthy of a masterpiece 

- laughter with the girls

- a good run with a sparkling sea as my motivating companion 

- a chance conversation with a stranger

- mornings when I am up before the family stirs

- being able to go to Mass

- enjoying the challenging 3,5 hour hike up to the Tete de Chien and being rewarded with those views

- good conversations with family and friends far away and greatly missed

- getting properly dressed at the start of the day (instead of living in gym wear)

- cuddles on the sofa 

- soup kitchen and everything about it

- the complete concentration of piano practice 

- a walk to La Turbie on a crisp, sunny morning

- holding hands

I will keep looking for and celebrating these little gems in my day. I won’t be dragged down by despair and negativity and constantly remind myself “even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise”. Wise words from Victor Hugo. Have a good day today and search out those gems!