Random Things That Make Me Happy

     I remember years ago reading someone's list of "100 things that make me happy" and trying to write my own. It was impossible. I could barely think of twenty. Last night at almost 2AM, I decided to write down things that make me happy, just because I was thinking about them, and I thought it would be another short list. It wasn't. It was really long and just kept pouring out of my head. When I woke up this morning at 6AM, I found that I had even more to add. And I keep adding to it!

     I think I must be happier in my life now than I was years ago when I tried to compile the list originally. I know I was unhappy in my marriage at the time but I still thought I was a happy person. Imagine my surprise now when my list was so easy to write and so easy to add to. This is a time in my life where I think I am at a pretty low point yet I could think of so many things that make me happy. And I could easily add more to the list even as I type this now. Is it because as I have gotten older that I pay more attention to the little things, the every day mundane experiences, than I ever have before? 

What is on your list? I challenge you to write a list of 100+ 

things that make you happy. If your list comes up short, find 

out why. Life is too short to not notice 

                          Every. Beautiful. Moment.  

                      Things that make me happy. 

                       (in no particular order, I swear)

Children's laughter 

A baby's smile 

Hugs

Smell of lavender

Puppy breath 

Sunshine on my face 

Flirting

Singing to the radio 

Sitting on a beach with my toes in the sand 

Going on a cruise

Love

Baby animals 

My children laughing together 

My grandson 

Belly laughs with my friends 

The smell of garlic

Great food

Italy

Sound of waves

Swimming

Roses

Great movies

Hard rain 

Great music 

Singing in my car

Driving fast

Road trips

Disney anything

Holding hands 

Ice cream 

Chocolate 

Being with my kids 

Girl talk

Back massages 

Love notes

A man who can dance 

Pedicures

Smell of leather 

New shoes

Nordstrom's shoe department

Fitting into skinny jeans 

Colored contacts

Dressing up 

Kissing someone I love

Cuddling 

Raspberries 

Comic con

Dancing 

Nature

Silence

Cicadas 

Steak

Sushi

Diet coke

Lemonade 

Palm trees

Crack of a metal bat that announces spring time

Wind chimes 

Birds singing 

Laying in a park in the sunshine 

Watching the stars at night

Thunder and lightening storms 

Power outages

Candlelight 

Deep conversations 

Making love

Sightseeing

Adventures

Getting lost

Epiphanies

Someone who "gets" me

The smell of clean skin

Smell of babies

Being pregnant

Being a mom

Shopping

Spending time with my mom

Skype

Cheese

Kisses on the back of my neck 

Jazz music 

Dentist cleaning 

Cleaning the kitchen 

Reading a good book 

Making someone smile

A child's wave

Being warm in the winter 

When someone says "Me too!"

Christmas lights in the dark

Christmas music

Having money in the bank 

Hotels 

Doing anything with my kids

The "sound" of silence during a snow storm

Feeling healthy 

My bed

Naps

Sincere people

Great sarcasm

Feeling loved

New friends

Old friends 

Green grass

New car smell 

Playing footsie

Spooning 

"Making out"

Connecting deeply with someone

Barbra Streisand songs

My old wedding ring 

Encouraging words

Life coaches

Being in love

Cooking

Earth tones

Painting

Crafts

Gardening

Accomplishments

Singing hymns in church

Planning a trip

Flying somewhere 

Fresh fruit and vegetables

New place to live 

New beginnings

Knowing my children are happy

Weddings 

Art 

Architecture 

Big cities

Small towns

Ferry rides 

Riding a horse

Rivers and streams 

Eastern Tennessee

Florida

San Diego beaches

Rome 

Italian accents

Some men's cologne 

Beards and goatees (but only on men)

Great hair

Grey or white hair on men

Curly hair

Beautiful eyes 

Beautiful  smiles

Empty house and silence

  

Playing cards

Happy people

The zoo

Roller coasters

Clean sheets and a freshly made bed 

The smell of the dryer running

Nice people

Online shopping 

Shopping for other people

Chocolate cake

Seafood

Feeling beautiful

Feeling loved 

Service for others

Cheap gas

Socks

Musicals 

Anticipation of a first kiss

Old movies

Feeling inspired

Babies sleeping

Old Saturday morning cartoons

Selflessness

Old couples holding hands

My dad's smile and laugh

Compliments

Italian food

New "toys" (electronics)

Fresh air

Rental cars

Warms blankets on a cold day

Fire crackling in a fireplace

Campfire

Bacon

Camping breakfast

Smell of coffee

Starbucks

Sometimes you just have to...

     I believe I am in the "What the hell?" phase in my life. Not "What the hell was that?" but, "Why the hell not?" Sometimes I just think, "What is the worst that can happen?" Well, obviously, I'm not going to die. Well, okay. I could actually die, but not if I don't do things that will put my life at risk.

     A year and a half ago I jumped out of a plane. On purpose. I put my life at risk. At that time, though, I remember thinking, "If I am supposed to die, I will. If I am not, I won't." So I wasn't scared. It wasn't going to be my time. It was pretty freaky how UN-scared I was. I remember standing on the edge of the doorway, about to leap out into space with only some guy I had known for about thirty minutes (and I can't even remember his name) strapped to my back. The guy was even shorter than me and, at the time, probably weighed less than I did. Seriously. How could he save me if we fell? 

     I stared down at the earth waaaay below me and for a brief moment I remember thinking, "What am I doing?" Then the thought was gone. I knew that whatever was going to happen was going to happen and it would be okay. Of course, I could have been crippled for life instead of dying but neither of these things happened. I did toss my huevos rancheros breakfast all over the poor little guy strapped to my back, but I never died. And I would do it again. (Not the barfing part. That's okay, I can skip that step.) But the jumping. The complete and utter silence of the sky above the earth. The peace. The world below. The spinning? Once again, I can skip that part. Happily. But I loved it. And I was never afraid. Not at any moment. 

     So, why be afraid now? WHY? I'm not going to die. I might be briefly heart-broken, disappointed, or even a little humiliated, but I'm not going to die. What am I giving up by taking any chance? I am not a tree. I. Can. Move. I can even fly. What am I afraid of? 

     And do ALL people my age go through this phase? It's not a mid-life crisis. I'm not going to live to be 104. It's not even a 3/4 life crisis. It's me deciding that I don't want a life just spent strolling through casually. I want to end up in my death bed (in about 40 years), telling my grandchildren and great-grandchildren about my epic adventures. How much I lived. And how much I loved. 

     I don't want to reach the end of my life and wish I had done all of the things I always dreamed of doing. I once told someone I was afraid of moving to Italy and they told me that if it doesn't work, you move back. As simple as that. 
     

     Now I don't know if I still want to move to Italy. Okay, fine. I do. Someday. Not right now. Someday. I guess because it doesn't feel like it's time right now. And financially, I am not prepared. When I go, I want to be able to stay as long as my little passport or visa allows. And not starve. So, it's not now. But someday.

    


    Either way, I want to live. I want to be surrounded by family, laugh with my friends, love until I die. And live every single stinking minute as though it is my last day on earth. 
     
     Who's with me? What are YOU afraid of? 

Monday Blues...

   

     Ever have one of those days? You know, the ones where you wish you could have a do-over. Today is my only day off this week. It's finals day for my creative writing class. Group paper/power point final, so no pressure to get things done by myself. Keeping up, cruising along.

    I woke up fine, I think. Not feeling bleh. Did my usual "morning paper" reading: emails, Facebook, etc. No problems there. Even started a 21 day Meditation program offered by Oprah (yes, Oprah), and Deepak. 

    But for some reason, right before noon, the blues hit. Maybe I'm hungry. Maybe I didn't get enough sleep. I don't know. I suddenly just started feeling bleh.  That feeling where music can make you cry. I hate days like this. 

     And I have the travel bug. I have "magic money" dropping in any day and I'm plotting my escape. I love the option of trying to figure out where to go, but then comes the horrible decision making process. And I don't want to travel alone anymore. I mean, I LOVE traveling alone and I have no problem doing it, I love the adventure of it. But for some reason this time I don't want to. Maybe that's what my problem is today. 

     I would love to just be able to say, "Come on. Let's go," and it would happen. Someone with the same adventurous qualities that I have. Not someone who just talks about going, but actually does it. I've known too many talkers and very few doers. There must be someone out there like me. I can't be an actual original, can I? Is everyone else just going thru life like a zombie? Isn't there anyone else who feels a strong urge to see what is beyond their front yard? 

    I'd love to sit on a beach for a few days. Or investigate a place in a foreign country I've never been before. Even sit on a cruise ship, reading a good book and watching the ocean flow by. It all sounds magical. Perfect and magical. 

     But I don't want to go alone. Not this time.