All I Really Need
“All I really need is a Song in my Heart, Food in my Belly, Love in my Family.”
It is the day before my birthday. All the people around me are quite aware of this. But just in case you are not blessed to be physically present in my life, let me just slip that in quite quick.
I thought a little birthday wish list would be fun. I always have a running list of things that catch my eye. Many people have mentioned I am easy to buy for. I am told, by a certain spouse, it may be so easy that it is difficult; the narrowing down process can feel overwhelming. Does that even make sense?
Anyhow...as I started to compile a dream wish list I hesitated. Of course it is simply a list of things I heart-eyes-emoji. Nothing I expect to unwrap come this time tomorrow, or anytime for that matter. Yet, somehow the more I thought about what I wanted the more I felt I was drifting away from the grateful and into the greedy.
I love to give gifts and I try to curate carefully just the right thing that fit the recipient. So when I receive such a gift, I am that much more appreciative because I know the thoughtfulness that goes into such a gesture. Still, the things that are pretty, the things that are fun, the things that are eye catching, they rarely fall into the category of needs.
As I sat to think of all the lovely things I might gift myself if I could, I didn't like where my head was going. I felt distracted suddenly by a home that didn't measure up, a wardrobe that appeared drab, a lifestyle that felt boring. That person has that thing and they swear it has changed their life so surely I need that thing too to live my best life.
This is not where I want my head to rest, certainly not a place I want to be on my birthday. A place of ugly want instead of beautiful contentment.
So instead I made a need list, and for this I drew on the words of my childhood sung by the great Raffi. I placed these words on my mantel in hopes that they find their way into my heart.
Because truly, in this new year of me, there is nothing much better than Food in my Belly, a Song in my Heart, and Love in my Family.
Pretty things will always catch my eye, and have their right place, but today, I'm going to remember all I really need is perhaps not something to wish for but something I already have.