This time last year I was in nervous anticipation of my first child. I was thinking about going into labor and what that would be like. I was making sure we had everything, checking things off the list.

Do we have all the supplies we need for our home birth and everything set up for after the birth? Make sure the house is clean, and that things are in order, oh and don’t forget to get the rugs and couches steam cleaned, dust isn’t good for babies.

Even though people said you don’t need that much, there’s a part of me that didn’t believe them. I’d rather have it just in case. I guess it’s the kind of thing you can’t know ahead of time. That all your baby needs is you.

I could go on and on about all the things I am learning about life and humanity that my daughter Naima is teaching me. One of the major things she reminds me of is that life is about the simple pleasures, like looking for treasures inside of the recycling and displaying them all over the kitchen floor.

Where can you take time to smell the roses and appreciate the simple pleasures this week?