Life in the past couple of weeks has continued to be super busy, but the good news is that we finally embark on our long-awaited honeymoon tomorrow! I am, for obvious reasons, very excited about this adventure. It feels like ages since we’ve properly travelled, and I can’t wait to go and explore the world again.
Yesterday, in the midst of completing my chaotic to-do lists, I had the opportunity to venture outside for a walk. It was one of those beautiful August days. The sun was in the sky, and there was an unmistakeable warmth in the air. After months of cold and dreary weather, it felt like spring was about to grace us with her presence. This, of course, caused a massive increase in good vibes. People were dining outside, and nearly everyone I walked past had a smile on their face. It felt wonderful to be amongst my fellow humans, and I too, started smiling at the people around me.
Small sidenote here: I’ve cultivated an unprecedented interest in gardens since moving house. This was a surprise to me as much as it was to anyone else as I’d never previously thought much of plants. I didn’t (still don’t, to be honest) like the thought of saplings sprouting from the earth and did not care for the responsibility of watering and tending to what I considered to be inanimate objects. Since moving into my new home, however, I’ve become very interested in the role that gardens play in beautifying a space. Flowers that I’ve never noticed before now call out to me with their bright and cheerful colours, the size of leaves amaze me, and I pay particular attention to the arrangements of plants in a garden bed.
During my walk, I came across a patch of orchids. Being the city slicker that I am, it delighted me to see the flowers growing out in the wild. Until very recently, I’d never seen orchids grown outside, much less in a garden bed. I guess I never thought that it was possible, especially in Melbourne’s cold and rainy winters. I was stuck to the spot, completely unable to move away from the flowers. They were so vibrant, so unexpected that I simply could not detach myself. At least, this was the case until the owner of said orchids approached.
Then, the most amazing thing happened.
We had a nice little chat about her garden, and she gifted me with a stalk of her orchids!
I was absolutely thrilled to receive such a wonderful gift. So much so, that I immediately texted many of my friends about this lovely encounter. It was the highlight of my day, and I wanted to share it with people!
Human generosity is truly one of the most beautiful things in this world. I don’t necessarily mean generosity in terms of money here, more so an intention to create and share joy with others. Joy (not always synonymous with happiness) is easy to manufacture, but often neglected. We all lead such busy lives that it can be hard to think of the small things: a surprise cookie on a colleague’s work desk, an offer to attend an exercise class together. To live beautiful and joyful lives, we must remember when we can to be generous. After all, it has so much power. Generosity – to both the giver and recipient – is a little sliver of happiness in an otherwise uneventful moment.
You already know that us Kind Regards folks are fans of generosity. I think that in general, this topic is highly relevant to the creatively inclined. After all, many of us create in order to share some form of beauty with others. In this way, creativity can be viewed as a type of generosity. It’s a willingness to share thoughts and vulnerabilities with others, to give without expectation of reciprocity, all in a bid to add some meaning to the lives we live. Still, creative output can sometimes be tough to achieve, especially for those of us who have other day jobs. So for those who are experiencing blockages in creativity, here’s a happy reminder that beauty manifests itself in so many ways. Go get a loved one a cup of coffee or lend a listening ear to someone going through a tough time. Or, get this, be creative about it! It is always a privilege to share joy and enrich relationships, and sometimes this may be exactly the trick to get back on the creativity bandwagon.
It's a short post, but I’ll have to end here today. After all, there are rooms to sweep, suitcases to pack, and plants to water. I hope that this post will help to add some joy into the lives around you, and I hope to keep sharing happiness with you. See ya later, alligator!
Kind regards,
Win Win