A few of my favourite things

We are constantly exhorted to think of things we are grateful for and make a list to remind us when we are feeling a little dispirited. It is said that an attitude of gratitude brings good things, and there is no doubt that is true. Count your blessings and you will feel your spirits lift; if you worry about things, you will feel the cloud of gloom hanging over you. It is through the little things that we can gain the greatest joy in life:

I can think of hundreds of things that make me happy, but here are just a few:

Watching the sun set - somehow, even on the cloudiest of days, a small gap appears on the horizon at just the right time.

Seeing the Black Sparrowhawk alight on a branch of the dead tree nearby, which allows the best possible view of this magnificent raptor.

The panicked scattering of pigeons who have spotted the sparrowhawk and fly so incredibly fast and skilfully as they thwart its hunt.

A flock of 50 flamingos flying past in the early morning sunshine on the way to their feeding grounds.

The disciplined v-formation of the sacred ibis that fly over my house twice a day, the quiet swish of their flight the only sound at dawn.

The crashing of the waves at the Kom when the Atlantic swell is pushing in from the deep southern ocean.

The amazing clouds that scud across the sky, melting away and reappearing at will.

These things are happening all around me as I write this. Imagine how long I could go on for - this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Don't look for big things to be grateful for - appreciate whatever you are surrounded by and you cannot fail to feel lighthearted.