Simple-Minded Melanie

     Last week I was thinking about how animated I get when I talk about Harry Potter, or how I was excited for Eclipse to come out on DVD. I immediately compared myself to the phrase: simple pleasures for simple minds. It seemed obvious that that was me- easily pleased with such small and silly things, making me one of the many simple-minded out there.
     But then I thought- how stupid is that phrase?! I mean, really. Think of the opposite of the word simple. Hard, difficult, complicated. Since when do any of those words go with the word pleasure? Things that are hard to deal with or understand are never fun. And there are very few people in the world who get pleasure from things that are complicated. Yes there are people out there who make amazing discoveries, inventions, or get pleasure from being top of their class of head of their company. And yes, those people probably aren't simple-minded. But don't most of us find our pleasures from the simpler things in life? Like playing a favorite sport, eating a truly delicious meal, or getting a raise. Christmastime, or an 'A' on an exam, or a child's laughter. A sunny day, watching your favorite tv show, reading a great book. I would say that all of those things are a simple pleasure, so does that make us all simple minded?
     I know I take pleasure in many small and simple things. Listening to my kids belly-laugh, hearing a song I love on the radio when I was just wishing for it, smelling the first smell of spring after a long winter. And there's more, many more. Getting my People Stylewatch in the mail,  figuring out a Sudoku puzzle in less than a minute, sitting on my couch under a cozy blanket next to my lighted Christmas tree with a fire in the fireplace.
     I could go on... forever. There are so many things in life we can take pleasure from. Simple, easy, small things. Does that make me simple-minded? Actually, I really don't care- because I'm happy. The day I stop finding joy in the little things of life, is the day I become a person that I just don't want to be.