Taking Satisfaction In Simple Things

Yesterday the temperature in Palm Springs dipped just under triple digits for the first time all summer, so I took the opportunity to wash and hand-wax my new car. It’s the first time I’ve waxed it, and, although it was a lot of hard work in hot weather, I took great satisfaction in giving it a really good hand waxing.

It’s not simply gratification from doing a job well, it’s a matter of enjoying nurturing things that I’ve brought into my life. I feel that when I bring something into my life, I need to keep it 100% fit and functioning. I feel the same way about my garden, which is why I’m one of the few homeowners in Palm Springs that doesn’t use a gardening service.

Yes, I can get similar results with no effort by taking it to the local carwash, which I can easily afford, but that would be robbing me of the satisfaction I get every time I climb into that car for a drive. That feeling is worth much more that the effort to achieve it.