BY HERMAN M. LAGON
IN A SOCIETY that is too fixated on wealth, power, fame, and the unrelenting quest for more, it is easy to forget the actual pleasures around us.
These luxuries do not come with a price tag or a brand name, yet they hold the value that no money can buy. These are the basic pleasures, the times of calm and delight that feed the soul and serve as reminders of what it means to live fully.
Slowing down and appreciating life’s small pleasures is quite luxurious in a time when speed and efficiency rule. These are the true pleasures that sometimes pass us by unappreciated but have the most emotional impact.
Many take a good night’s sleep for granted until it is gone. The real luxury is being able to lay your head down at night and slide into a peaceful, continuous slumber at a time when sleeplessness has nearly become a badge of honor.
Sleep is about rejuvenation, allowing your body and mind time to reset, not just rest. There is nothing like the kind of deep sleep that leaves you waking up feeling like you have been reborn, for which late-night browsing or binge-watching can substitute.
Another underappreciated treasure is slow morning times. Without the annoying sound of an alarm, it allows the day to develop at its own pace, which is liberating.
Slow mornings serve as a reminder that not everything in life has to be hurried, whether that means appreciating that first cup of freshly made tea or coffee or just sitting in quiet as the world gradually wakes up around you. These times let us breathe, think, and be free from the continual pressure to do or achieve. They serve as a gentle reminder that life is meant to be savored, not raced through.
One of the best pleasures of all is the freedom to choose. Many people in the world still lack the privilege of making decisions about their own lives and following their own paths.
The daily luxury that merits appreciation is your freedom to decide how to spend your time, what career path to follow, or even what to eat for supper. It is the freedom to live a life that feels real to who you are, free from the constraints or expectations of others.
Another often forgotten delight is leisure and play. Although it is more important than ever, as adults, we sometimes overlook the value of recreation. These joyful moments — like spontaneous kitchen dances, playing board games with friends, or simply chasing your kids around the park — are what life is truly about.
They remind us that life does not always have to be serious; there is something beautiful and valuable in letting go, laughing until it hurts, and embracing the childlike wonder that still lives within us. (To be continued)/PN
