Wildly enthusiastic
I got so excited about this miniature greenhouse that I took several photos of it.
Tasha Tudor dollhouse, Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, December 2004
“I still get wildly enthusiastic about little things…It has been after such times of joy that I have achieved my greatest creativity and produced my best work.”
— Leo F. Buscaglia
More than once over the years, people have made fun of me for getting excited over things they considered minor or insignificant. Confusing their own ennui with sophistication, or perhaps irritated at my ebullient chatter, they would make some sarcastic observation about how little it took to make me happy.
I never minded it, though, because I always felt I was the lucky one in that scenario. How pathetic to be so demanding of life, so blind to how amazing and wonderful and crammed with blessings it is on even the worst days!
When I am feeling listless, tired or despondent, there is no better remedy for it than to get enthusiastic about something. Fortunately for me, that’s always been pretty easy to do. Whether it’s a video of Grady, a funny YouTube clip, my neighbor’s adorable dog, or a letter from someone I love, the little rays of sunshine can make my day.
Perhaps my fascination for miniature things, beginning with the exquisite dollhouse my parents made for me when I was a child, is a fitting parallel to my interest in almost everything in the entire world, no matter how small or overlooked. As Sheila mentioned recently regarding the nickname she got from her own interest in life, some people might brand me as a “Nosy Nora.” No apologies from me about that — and no regrets, either!
If you are like me, capable of intense enjoyment of little things, I congratulate you — your life will never be boring, and you will go to bed most nights with a full and grateful heart. If, on the other hand, you find yourself scratching your head over silly people such as I, wondering what it is that’s so funny or happy or delightful, please accept my sincere condolences — and think about joining the party. Even if you aren’t capable of the giddy giggles you will see all around, you might manage a bit of vicarious joy just by watching others having fun.
What little things can you be wildly enthusiastic about today?
One year ago today:
This post was first published seven years ago today. The original post, comments and photo are linked, along with two other related posts, below. These links to related posts, and their thumbnail photos, do not appear in the blog feed; they are only visible when viewing the individual posts by clicking on each one. I have no idea why, nor do I know how they choose the related posts. That’s just the way WordPress does things.
- Posted in: Uncategorized
- Tagged: appreciation, creativity, enthusiasm, excitement, gratitutde, happiness, joy, laughter, little things, miniatures, small pleasures
Defeat Despair 
Yes!
As a person who is not naturally cheerful and optimistic, I am striving to find all the beauty and goodness around me and my family, especially now that I have read about how sadness used to be a deadly sin separate from sloth. Each evening during prayer, we thank the Lord for precise things that made the day beautiful. We thank forbig things – our family – as well as for little ones, such as a black kite soaring just above us, the roses that are fading but have begun to release their scent, delightful food, tea, a funny joke…
I am not sure if I should add stationery to the list but I guess someone will agree that stationery can make life better!
You are right, if one pays attention life is “crammed with blessings on even the worst days”.
Elena, thank you for this beautiful and poetic comment. I agree with you completely about thankfulness. So many little blessings go unremarked each day. I love your list! And I totally think that stationery is, at least for some of us, a huge blessing. I very much enjoy sending postal mail– in fact, it has become a hobby for me through Postcrossing, a website that connects like-minded people all over the world– and I have found that there are many, many of us who enjoy beautiful stationery (including postage stamps and accessories such as stickers, sealing wax, beautiful inks and so on). I give thanks for the tiny tree frogs that always cheer me when I see them perched on my windows eating insects in the evening, and for the birds and lizards and turtles along with the friendly dogs I see out walking with my neighbors. I’m thankful for electricity and running water and a clean, soft bed at night. And for the ability to connect with people all over the world, such as you, who share my reverence for the amazing blessing of life. Thanks so much for being here and lifting my spirits with your comment!