Tiny Paradise

A little corner of your desktop, just for you A small stretch of sea, a few houses, flowers by the door and boats by the shore. Between writing a document and answering messages, it's nice to look up and find them there. Carry on with whatever you're doing. With each keystroke, this little place moves along with you. Today, a little house you've had your eye on You've looked at that little house a few times now. Today, let's give it a home by the sea. A house, then some flowers and plants, and a few new friends. When there's a spare moment, add a little something to a place that's becoming familiar. Add a few things today, or leave it for a while. Nothing here is in a hurry. Just see what you feel like doing. By the end of this paragraph, the boat is nearly home Each keystroke nudges a boat forward, sends a cat on its way and turns the windmill a little further. Sometimes, while you're thinking of the next sentence, your eyes follow a cat instead. You finish replying to a message and look over: the boat that was out in the bay has reached the dock. A glance now and then, then back to what you were doing. A quiet moment. Something to smile about. When things get busy, tuck it away Sometimes you want to concentrate, or keep this little place to yourself. Tuck it away, leaving just a small lighthouse in a corner of your desktop. When you reach a good stopping point, open it again. There's your little world, just where you left it. A light comes on in the window The light here follows your local time. In the daytime, you can make out the colors of the leaves and rooftops. Towards evening, the light grows warmer. A little later, the windows light up, spilling a soft glow onto the snow. It's the same house you saw this morning. With the lights on, you feel like staying a little longer. Next time, perhaps somewhere new You'd like to visit the cats in town. And see the lights around the snowy hot springs after dark. There's an oasis in the desert, a village among the branches of a great tree, and little streets in the rain. Stay somewhere else for a while. Whenever you miss the sea, come back for a visit. Little things that are lovely to look back on A few flowers planted, a new friend arrived. The journal keeps a picture of how your island looked that day, too. Some days, you can hardly remember what you did. Then you turn to a page, and a little of it comes back. A flower, an evening, and what made you fond of them in the first place.