Persons Today
Persons today sometimes seem much busier than during my childhood, which was primarily during the 1960s and 1970s. Yet they don’t necessarily seem happier. Depression and suicide seem to be much more common based on news reports I've seen, but accurate statistics are hard to get.
My guess (and I admit it is only a guess) is that the stresses of too many commitments are a contributing factor. For example, youths today may often be so active in various things that they lack a lot of unorganized free time to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Bullying and social media abuse negatively impact young people too, as I see it.
When free time occurs, in my view, both children and adults (including me) now typically devote too much time to cell phones and social media.
Video games, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, texting, binge watching television, etc., take up much time in the lives of many children (and adults) today.
Even worse, persons frequently seek artificial highs via alcoholic beverages, other drugs, gambling, pornography, junk food, casual sex, etc.
Some of the items mentioned above are best avoided totally. The others need to be used in moderation.
I’m not a medical professional or a dietician, so I can’t give medical or dietary advice. But as I see it, we need to be grounded in reality and to devote significant time and energy to real world activities--and to real people too--experiencing and enjoying fun.
Simple Pleasures
Let’s seek to experience the joy of simple pleasures.
What do I mean by simple pleasures? Below I’ll discuss numerous examples.
* Taking a Nature Hike and/or Visiting a Park:
Taking a nature hike, enjoying the fresh air, sunshine, and beauty of the trees, shrubs, flowers, birds, etc., can be exhilarating. Even in cities there are typically parks with hiking trails, playground equipment, sports fields, etc. Rural areas often offer nature trails. The October 23, 2022 photo below shows part of a small park near my apartment in Lexington, Kentucky. Lexington features numerous small parks, as well as some medium size and large ones.
I’ve experienced marvelous peace and wonderful spiritual insights during time spent meditating, praying, and studying the Bible and other quality devotional materials. Some of my best ideas come during these periods of quiet time. Quiet time is often lacking in this era of television, radio, Internet, and wireless earbuds. Even if you’re not religious, seek to enjoy some quiet time.
* Reading a Good Book:
One can become so engrossed in reading a quality novel or nonfiction book that one loses track of time and other surroundings. I’ve loved to read a wide variety of things since childhood. It’s fun and can be educational too. Check books out free from a library for a cheap simple pleasure. But reading is not everything, and I confess one of my weaknesses is probably reading too much.
* Listening to Uplifting Music:
Listening to Christmas carols, uplifting Christian music, contemporary songs with an upbeat theme, etc., can make one happy and inspire one. For me music is a sideline rather than a centerpiece. But I enjoy it at times, especially Christmas music during November and December. Again, moderation is key. Listening to music excessively is a way to retreat from reality.
* Playing Games:
I’ve experienced lots of fun over the years playing a wide variety of games. Chess, checkers, Monopoly, Rook, rummy, tag, hide-and-go-seek, throwing a Frisbee, and many others are possibilities. Lots of games are cheap or free. And you can even invent your own game if you like. These old-fashioned games may permit more discussion and a more relaxed pace than video games.
* Watching an Inspiring Movie:
Viewing too many movies or the wrong ones is a harmful waste of time. But I encourage you to watch quality, inspiring movies in moderation. If you own a television hooked up to a DVD player, you can probably check out movies and entertaining documentary DVDs free from a local library. Some are available for free download on the Internet too. You may also be able to watch them on a classic movie channel if you have cable TV. “AFI’s 100 Most Inspiring Movies” from the American Film Institute is a nice list of movies to consider. For a shorter listing reflecting my personal bias, see “My Ten Favorite Movies: One Viewer’s Top Films.” But watch quality movies in moderation as part of a balanced life, don’t binge watch.
* Conversing With Friends and Relatives:
Maybe you can visit or phone someone to enjoy conversation about various things. Perhaps there are friends and relatives you’ve not spoken with recently that it would be fun to catch up with. I’ve enjoyed wonderful conversations with friends and relatives over the years. And I consider everyone a friend. As a child, I enjoyed hearing adults talk about their childhoods.
* Participating in a Hobby:
If you don’t have a hobby, maybe you can start one. Do a Google search for “hobbies” to find large lists of them for various persons.
* Playing Sports:
Athletics of various types attract a huge number of people. Millions of persons have fun playing golf, softball, baseball, basketball, bowling, swimming, etc. And it doesn’t have to be an organized team that plays a set number of games in a league or school. It can just be playing for fun. I confess I’m not much of an athlete. I used to bowl, but my main “athletics” activities now are walking, hiking, and bicycling rather than team sports. Sports are not for everyone. We all need some type of exercise though.
* Watching Television in Moderation:
This means limiting television, but enjoying it as part of a balanced life. If you have cable, you may receive hundreds of stations, far more than the 3-5 our television received during my childhood years ago. Watching television series, sports events, news, documentaries, etc., in moderation can be uplifting. An hour or a few hours daily may be beneficial, especially if programs are inspiring and relaxing. Furthermore, television doesn’t necessarily have to be educational. As a child, I loved Saturday morning cartoons and feel that the benefits exceeded the weaknesses of watching them a few hours on some Saturdays (Please feel free to disagree.). However, even during much of my childhood, I probably watched less television than the average person. And my TV now is only hooked up to a DVD player and a VCR, not a cable system or an outdoor antenna. Those who watch several hours of television daily seem to be less productive and more depressed. But it's a cheap, simple pleasure when used in moderation.
* Attending Seminars and Lectures, Visiting Libraries, Religious Services, Volunteering, etc.:
Involved persons are often happier. You may be able to attend free or low-cost seminars or lectures on interesting subjects. You can also visit your local library for events, to read, research, or check out books, CDs, DVDs (as mentioned in the movies section earlier), access public computers, etc. Attending religious sevices and becoming involved in a congregation may be helpful as well. Volunteering at one of many choices locally that interests you is a great way to help others while enjoying yourself too.
*Browsing the Internet, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, Texting, etc.:
Many of us use these resources excessively. For example, I devote too much time to surfing Internet news sites and a fair amount of time to using Facebook. But if you’re one of those who doesn’t use these resources at all, you may want to consider starting to use one or more of them in moderation. And those of us who devote hours to them daily may need to cut back. Listing alternatives to electronic media is one of the purposes of this article.
Closing Thoughts
I’m not a dietician or a medical professional. I can’t give dietary or medical advice. But I firmly believe that eating a nutritious diet, exercising regularly in moderation, and building and maintaining quality relationships are some of the keys to joy and happiness. Experiencing simple pleasures is one aspect of this.
Lots of persons today are overweight due to lack of exercise and improper diets of junk food. While I ate my share of junk food as a child, including intaking a lot of sugary cereal while watching Saturday morning cartoons, my mom generally prepared home-cooked meals and limited my intake of junk food. I thank her and God for that. But we all can probably eat better and exercise more properly.
Though I devote too much time to surfing Internet news sites, I’m glad my television is not hooked up to cable, that I visit my library regularly, and that I walk a fair amount. Living in a city that is a college town, I have access to a significant number of seminars and lectures as well as quality libraries and parks.
God has blessed me (and maybe you) to be happy and healthy. But I (and maybe you) can do better. As we become more diversified, enjoying a more balanced life with various quality activities, my view is that the result can be a happier, healthier, and more productive life. Let’s seek to do so.
NOTES:
This article is partially adapted from other writings of the author, including an April 30th, 2006 article "Enjoy Simple Pleasures that are Often Free" that the author submitted to and was published on a friend’s website that no longer exists.
This article was last revised on October 26, 2022.
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