things that make me happy: an exercise
This is the Chinese character for "double happiness," used for weddings and entrances to homes. You might notice there are two identical characters standing side by side. One character alone is the word for happiness, "xi" (pronounced "shee"). The two together are "xuang xi," or "double happiness" ... twice the happiness, and a fitting word for today's thoughts.Following is a list of some of the things that foster happiness.
Sunny days that hover at around 72 degrees, with a slight breeze that blows my hair around
Friends’ new babies … there is definitely something awesome and precious and miraculous and wonderful about bringing a new life into the world (Congrats again to Carlynne, Darcy and Cori [pictured] … looking forward to Donna’s and Alicia’s!) Coffee … first the scent, and then the flavor … especially good with a little chocolate and peppermint mixed in
Chocolate … in just about all its forms, but especially in the form of Harry & David truffles … dark chocolate and mint flavors
Long naps on a chilly day in a warm bed
Fresh cut flowers brought home by my husband for no other reason than he felt like it
A clean house
That sense of perseverance and accomplishment AFTER I’ve worked out in the morning
A full, busy day at work, where I felt needed and important
Puppies who will grow into Great Danes or Golden Retrievers or Huskies … or Pugs
Family gatherings, where everyone is talking at the same time and no one can finish their stories, and yet there’s nothing but laughter filling the air
Eating tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich on a rainy day while watching a Sandra Bullock chick flick
The Redwood forest … walking among those tallest of living things, the Redwoods, along the forest floor carpeted with ferns and soft red bark … another place to breathe deeply of the silence and the stillness, and the grandness of our Creator … it also brings back a lot of childhood camping memories
Getting off a seemingly interminable plane flight after being gone a long time to be greeted at the airport with signs and balloons and hugs from those missed most
Visiting new places and experiencing new cultures … the world is full of intrigue to be sought and explored
Coming home to find the dishes done
Four-day weekends spent on an adventure somewhere other than at home
Decorating
A particularly cleansing sneeze
Broccoli
Getting my hair cut
Crossing things off my list … even if they weren’t on my list to start with, it feels so good to write it down, just so I can cross it off
Spending $10 at the movie theater and having the movie exceed my expectations
A night out with the girls, gabbing until our throats are sore
Getting to the cash register with a true treasure, only to have it ring up for less than I was prepared to pay
Reaching the summit of a tall mountain and feeling not only the sense of the accomplishment, but like I’m literally standing on top of the world.
My husband
Angels Baseball (thanks to my husband, I've come to a true appreciation of a good baseball game)
A shopping day where I find a good parking space and everything fabulous is in my size and on sale
Getting lost in a good book
Hearing a really good song for the first time and then spending days trying to figure out what its called and who sings it ... and then buying it on iTunes only to play it so much I get sick of it
Funny and clever commercials
Getting on the scale to find another pound lost
Pedicures
And so much more ... Life is so full of things to enjoy ... and I needed to remember that. This exercise has pulled me out of the funk I've been in for a few days, a funk whose origin I could not place, and so seemed ridiculous to be feeling anyway. God is good and has blessed me too richly to spend much time feeling funky. Have a happy day!
And what about you?? What makes YOU happy?
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