A Present. A Day.

Thanks, Agent Cooper.

(Or should I say "Thanks, David Lynch"?!)

I have lived for the past … too many years to count by this motto, that Agent Coop outlines in one of my favorite TV shows of all times (if not my absolute favorite!).

I try, every day, to do something for myself and myself only that puts a smile on my face. I think it’s our duty – to find the beautiful and the happiness in every day. Life is otherwise busy enough messing things up on her own self. Quite apt at that she is!

Today, I dreaded to go back in the house, after work. The longer day light, as well as the temperatures well into the 70’s and the bright, cloudless sun were keeping me out. So, finally, even with a penury of free hours in my daily schedule, I went and visited the shopping center right outside my neighborhood, stepped into Hallmark (which is like my toy store!) and rented a girlie movie too! It was just fun to enjoy the warmth, the architecture and the newness of the place and just people watch.

But my favorite present for the day was this: I seldom, if ever, buy what people call “junk food”. It’s tempting, don’t get me wrong, but I know what it does to my hips! But when I stopped by the pharmacy tonight, they had some of my favorite and relatively hard to find snacks in the whole wide world: Munchos ! They are fattening as all hell and they make your lips and chin feel like you just gorged on a whole bucket of KFC wings! In other words: they’re delish!

So, just like that, I grabbed a small bag off the shelf (I really wanted the bag with the 16 servings, but I thought better of it!), on the way to the counter and got them! If there is such a thing as a “happiness IQ”, it just went up by 200 points! I popped the bag open in the car, and drove slowly, so I can savor them. Every grain of salt, and every drop of oil in them hit my palate and made me melt! I could have closed my eyes and believed I was in heaven!

Just like that: a small bag of $.99 potato chips can send you to places a whole entire month of happenings cannot. Part of it it’s the surprise, and the unexpected – to paraphrase someone in the “Walk the Line” movie who talks to June Carter: “that was not on my calendar”! And part of it is the guilt, of course, that I allow myself to be carried away by something I restrict myself so consciously all the time.

Have a fun weekend, everyone, and always remember Agent Cooper’s advice: give yourself a present every day, and – if I can humbly add: never forget what a present each day is, in itself!