Gentle Reader, in an effort to slow down and live life at a more gracious pace, I have taken up watercolor painting. I want to have fun – enjoy the ones that turn out well and throw away the bad. No more striving for perfection.

I have been thinking a lot about the simple pleasures of life. I suspect I have been missing a lot by striving for achievements that no one has asked of me. I recently saw a quote that I like by William Morris, the English textile designer: “The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.”

How can I take an interest in the details of daily life, if I am always striving for something just out of reach?