I’ve just spent four wonderful days down in the southern part of the UK bringing in the New Year and catching up with old friends. As I was sat in the car on the six hour journey home, scouring the radio channels for something to keep me entertained (and awake, after a couple of later nights than my 40 year old self is used to), I stumbled on Heart Fm’s top 100 feel good songs of the last decade. On a slight tangent, it should really have been named the top 100 feel good songs of the last two years but I did only listen to the top 11 so I’ll reserve judgement. The hour that followed, as the top ten was revealed, inlvolved the stereo being cracked right up, bets being taken between a 6 year old and his mum as to whether Pharell Williams with ‘Happy’ or ‘Uptown Funk’ by Bruno Mars was going to take out the top spot, only to both be proved wrong, and both of us singing at the top of our lungs to every song that was played. 
As I sat there watching the sheer delight on Patrick’s face as he sang along with me (I do have to add that I was a little disturbed by the fact that he knew all of the words to Little Mix’s ‘shout out to my ex’ and think that maybe I need to mix up my playlist a little more frequently) and noticing that I too was smiling from ear to ear and singing a little louder than anyone should probably ever be subjected to, that we were having a truly wonderful time. 

On what can only be described as an otherwise very boring and tedious journey, I was reminded, very fantastically and quite simply so, that it’s the little things, moments in time such as the one we were sharing, that are truly special and which will long exist in both our minds as happy memories. 

I know I get caught up in the big stuff, as I’m sure many others do, probably all too often. I have been told on many occasion to ‘go with the flow’ a little more or ‘enjoy the journey’ as the destination is just where you end up, but I do find it hard sometimes to enjoy the ‘grey matter’, the bits that are not so stand out in the stage show of life, or which don’t appear to have an end point or higher purpose attached. As those who know me would likely expect, I had already written my goals for 2017 before 2016 had drawn to a close, and as usual, I haven’t gone for the easy to reach, have some fun along the way kind of targets, I have once again set the bar so very high, even by my standards. I have no doubt that I will achieve most, if not all, but after today’s car journey, I’m going to add in a few smaller ones, where I actually take some time to enjoy the little things; the special moments that often get lost in the big picture stuff or get overlooked for the more spectacular moments maybe; and in those moments, I hope I remember to be thankful for the opportunity of those times and for all I have. Moments like dancing to Mr Brightside at 2am with friends that I haven’t seen for over 12 months but where it feels like I’ve never been gone; moments like sitting with your best friend having a deep and meaningful conversation in a train station drinking tea after riding carousels and playing ‘hook a duck’ with your kiddies; moments like doing your sisters make up at 10pm, only for her to take it back off half an hour later and both of us secretly hoping she doesn’t end up looking like a cross between Dame Edna and Alice Cooper; quite simply, the moments that make the big stuff worthwhile and the hard stuff just a little more palatable. 

So thank you Heart Fm for the ‘feel good tunes’ and reminding us that there is always a time to sing, dance and smile; and although number 1 was a slight let down to both Patrick and I, we certainly enjoyed the journey getting there.