It Only Takes A Smile

            I feel so grateful, as I write this, I am sitting in the ballroom of the House of the Blackheads in Riga Latvia.  I am in the ballroom nearly alone, with my laptop, classical music playing, and drinking a cappuccino.  The adult entrance fee for this museum was 7 euros, but for one extra euro, you could get a hot drink.  There was no café to drink it in, the museum attendant said “bring it to the ballroom, sit on the furniture.”   This is the opposite of what one is generally told in a historical museum.  I felt as if I was being a rebel, but she encouraged me to live life like a queen.  Now this is luxury.

            As I sit here, I am close to tears.  There is nothing sad, but tears of appreciation for moments like this. Quiet unexpected moments, where you feel as if you are royalty.  To sit in an expansive ballroom, surrounded by chandeliers, paintings, classical music, wooden floors, and loads of history.  I was being asked to slow down, indulge, and enjoy life. 

            My friend noted the other day how money affords expansiveness of time.  We were discussing inflation in Lithuania (and the rest of the world).  Years ago when things were cheaper, time was slower.  He didn’t have to hurry, hustle, and work. Money stretched and so did time.  And for me, this time affluence is a luxury.  Each time I have it, I am so grateful. 

            Sitting here in Riga Latvia, after I checked out of my hotel, waiting for an evening flight, I have no plans and nothing but hours of time.  Perhaps this is why I want to cry, out of a surprising moment of joy, where staff encouraged me to fully appreciate the abundance of time in a beautiful setting with a cappuccino.  There is nothing better.

            As I age, I realize tears arise more easily.  Sometimes it’s sadness, struggle, anger, but often it’s moments of gratitude, appreciation, awareness of synchronicity, love, joy, serendipity, beauty, the bittersweet nature of life.  Isn’t this what the fullness of life is about?  We are to drink it all in.  And I feel that is what I am doing with this cappuccino right now.  

“The most precious resource we all have is time.” — Steve Jobs