small victories

so it's important to enjoy little things, to find pleasure in simplicity. here are a few examples from the past week.

-- wednesday i finally got up the courage to go into a music shop i'd noticed in my second week here. i don't walk past it often, and it's usually closed when i do .. but this time it was open and i went in. and i asked to look at and play a violin. so i did .. tuned it, played a scale, and then played 'tis a gift to be simple. talked to the lady about how much it cost (and the difference between a cheap one and a really nice old one..!?!), and then walked out with a big grin on my face.

-- friday we played a romanian version of "will you smile for me?" where the goal is not to smile or to laugh. i've never been very good at this game. but this time i was able to keep a straight face every time i was asked (which was often, since i was a 'tough target'). whoa! i must be growing up or getting more mature. or something..

-- thursday i went to house church even though i didn't want to. and it was good to be there. hard and frustrating and challenging, but good.

-- friday i started reading the booklet i have about retirement funds. i'm not particularly interested, but it is something i want to (and am supposed to) do, and i'm finally starting that process.

-- thursday i didn't wear a coat. two long-sleeve shirts with a wool sweater, a scarf, and a hat. but no coat. it wasn't all that cold, so i was plenty warm. and i didn't care that people (especially older women) stared at me like i would catch cold on the spot.