I Love a Good List

January 10, 2011

It’s the second week of 2011—isn’t it about time for a good list? And I mean, a good one, full of simple pleasures and joys.

A few years ago, I compiled a list of “100 Things I Love” as an exercise in something self-help-y I was reading at the time. If I recall correctly, I was to pull it out when feeling a little blue, just to remind myself of how many things there are to love in my life.

When you have to make a list of 100 things, some interesting items appear. Alongside the expected—family, friends, chocolate, libraries, horses and books—appeared the more unusual:

Mahjong Titans (a game I play on my computer)
Yellowstone (we visited a couple of years ago and I'm dying to go back)

Yellowstone--did I mention we were there in June?
Shoes (you don’t have to take your clothes off to try on shoes)
The smell of leather (mmmmm).

Here are a few more, in no particular order:

Ladybugs
Crossword puzzles
Rain
Wind
Singing
Robert Bateman’s art
Anne of Green Gables
Old houses
Flea markets
Walking in the woods
Being alone
Homemade bread
Flannel sheets
Fires (in the fireplace, not the forest!)

What would you put on your list of 100 things? Share a few with me—I’m always looking for more things to love!

Share This Story

Tags: ,

You Might Also Like

12 comments

  1. PossumJanuary 13, 2011 at 5:23 AM

    I love the idea of making a list of things you love where nothing needs to be crossed off; like it does on a 'things to do' list.
    A list like this could almost represent "the sum of all your parts"

    Swiming in the ocean every day has become a thing I love
    Bunches of fresh Lavender and curling up on the couch with a great book have always been things I've loved

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kathy A. JohnsonJanuary 13, 2011 at 9:10 AM

    Possum--I love lavender and curling up with a good book, too. Swimming in the ocean every day? I'm not a great swimmer, so that's a little intimidating, but I bet it's great exercise and wonderful for your peace of mind.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oregon Gifts of Comfort and JoyJanuary 13, 2011 at 4:53 PM

    Well, not to be negative, but I don't like wind. Other than that, I like the other things on your list!

    Plus, I really like the smell of baby lotion.

    :>) Thanks for your post, Kathy!

    Kathy

    ReplyDelete
  4. Kathy A. JohnsonJanuary 13, 2011 at 7:26 PM

    Kathy--My mom doesn't like wind, either! She lived in San Francisco for a while before I was born and hated the wind there. I've always liked it, but never lived any place where it blew so much that it got on my nerves.

    ReplyDelete
  5. PamelaJanuary 13, 2011 at 8:53 PM

    A perfect glass of amber iced tea.

    Journals or bound paper of any sort.

    Warm tights.

    And books old or new, child or adult, fiction or nonfiction...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Kathy A. JohnsonJanuary 13, 2011 at 8:57 PM

    Pamela--I love your "loves"! Great additions.

    ReplyDelete
  7. DanielleJanuary 14, 2011 at 10:51 PM

    I'd definitely have "silence" or "solitude" on my list--I like quiet, but then I sometimes think there is far too much noise in the world. I also like the seaside and crashing waves. Just thinking of those things makes me happy. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. TeresaJanuary 14, 2011 at 11:05 PM

    I love what's on your list!

    I'd add:

    - Birds singing
    - The sound of wind blowing through pine trees
    - Walks on the beach
    - Movies I love...to be watched while snuggled in a blanket with my cat in my lap
    - Dancing
    - The warmth of an electric blanket on a cold winter night
    - knitting

    and lots more. Thanks for this post... made me feel good just thinking about these good things in our lives.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Kathy A. JohnsonJanuary 15, 2011 at 9:20 AM

    Danielle--Solitude is big for me, too. My husband and I both work at home and we have a 16-year-old son, so I feel like I am hardly ever alone and I long for it. Even if I go someplace in the house where my family is not, I'm still aware of their energy, for want of a better term.

    I think the purpose of the original exercise was to help identify how much good we have in our lives--and help us feel happier about them. I'm glad it made you happy to think of your loved things.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Kathy A. JohnsonJanuary 15, 2011 at 9:23 AM

    Teresa--Great additions! After thinking about this post and the comments from readers, I realize how much of our daily lives is so good--it's when we get caught up in the shoulds and the what ifs that we run into trouble.

    ReplyDelete
  11. MaryannJanuary 15, 2011 at 5:16 PM

    I love the ideas of this exercise and I've already started my list. Besides the big items here are a few of my LOVES:

    Musicals & Old Movies
    Girls' Nights Out
    Chai Tea
    ALONE time!
    And I must admit to loving Facebook as it has reconnected me with many "old" friends...although maybe it's just the old friends I love!

    I love your blog Kathy, thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Kathy A. JohnsonJanuary 17, 2011 at 11:25 AM

    Maryann--Lots of great additions to the list! And I'm so glad you like the blog. I made my "love" list before I had the blog, but if I were compiling it now, I'd have to add, "connecting with old and new friends via the blog."

    ReplyDelete