Pleasure

The National Trust created a little book called 'Simple Pleasures,' filled with many different author's personal accounts of what they considered to be life's small pleasures. A vast array of things were mentioned such as experiencing the stretch of sands running from Ramsgate to Margate, lying in an indulgent hot bath (with a side of whisky and water!), being stuck on the train in the middle of nowhere, grooming the dog and many others. It was fascinating to read people's intimate accounts of what inspires them to take a few moments from everyday life and really soak it up. A soul-fulfilling vista. 'James Le Fanu' coined a beautiful phrase in his account 'the better to appreciate the exraordinary concealed behind the ordinary.'

Here are my personal top three simple pleasures:

1. One of the most captivating things I have ever seen in London is the starling roost over Battersea Bridge. Large groups of these birds circle in clever formations over and under the bridge. It is fascinating! It is like witnessing a choreographed ballet. I'm not sure why they do it and I used to think that they were practising migratory formations.

2. I love running in the rain, not just a light drizzle, but rain that soaks you to the skin, leaving puddles in your trainers and water collecting in your eyebrows. It is so invigorating. Very few things make you feel as alive. I remember running in the mountains of Hong Kong, along Bowen Road while a monsoon rain pounded down, with persistence.

3. I really enjoy spending quality time with my loved ones, even if it is just a cup of tea and a chat. There is something very special about being in the company of friends and family that accept you completely, flaws and all!


A Simple State

Lost to my moods
A maze, inside its distractions
How far I stumble, yearning for
its oddities to make some sense
Save for the sun on my face
And the birdsong not far off
I am struggling to comprehend
a lifetime of this state
If only I could fall
Put my arms out wide and lean
my back into the wind
Trust in its strength
Feel invigorated and peaceful all at once
What a perfect state that would be
Instead, of this frozen armour
I smile, testing out this new ideal
The sun on my face and the
birdsong not far off...

Lily Basnet