The other day my family went for a walk around our housing estate. We didn’t meet anyone so social distancing was easy.
My sister (19) and I (18) invented a game where we do an impression of the objects we pass and the other has to guess what it is. It’s surprisingly difficult to transform your body into the shape of a sign or a tree moving in the breeze. It’s also surprisingly fun. I would recommend it to anyone, no matter their age.
We stopped to watch the sun set over rows of newly planted saplings. We admired the pinks and oranges and liquid yellows painted across the sky. We took a deep breath and appreciated what we still have.
How many times do we focus on the people we live with without phones or a TV or anything else to distract us? How many times do we admire the place we live without getting wrapped up in the rest of our lives?
I read a poem recently which I loved. It’s called ‘The Orange’ by Wendy Cope. It’s not too long and well worth a read. Watching the sunset reminded me of it and how important it is to focus on the little things.
What ordinary things make you happy? Maybe it’s our surroundings, the birds in your garden, or all the brilliant people going to the extra mile to do good in our area.
Tell us at Ambassadors@Redcar-Cleveland.gov.uk, we’d love to know.