Life's little pleasures

We become so caught up in our daily routines that we forget to take time to stop and smell the roses. We are surrounded by beauty in many forms. There are the visual forms including flowers and trees, a piece of artwork that touches our being, or a mountain vista. There are the auditory forms of birds singing, our favorite music, or the sound of water rushing down a stream. There are the olfactory forms that include the smell of a freshly baked apple pie, lilacs, or soil after a rain. There are the gustatory pleasures such as the taste of a chocolate ice cream cone or a spear of fresh pineapple. And there are the tactile pleasures that come from the feel of a warm blanket or a hug. All of these are at little or no financial cost but can benefit us beyond what money can buy. Which of life's pleasures are you experiencing today and what is the effect that they have on you?