My moment of happiness today came in the form of uncontrollable laughter with him. We have the same weird sense of humour so together we find things funny that would make other people just roll their eyes.
The past few months have brought a lot more laughter back into my life and I am loving that. It really is the best medicine sometimes.
I spent some time today with my massage therapist. He’s working on releasing old and painful pressure points in my neck and hips.
It’s so interesting to be able to share with him some of the energetic healing that is starting to happen in my body. It’s the result of a lot of work and a great support system coming together to help me out. The more at peace I become, the easier and more important it is that I let all that old crap go.
The more I find I truly want to move ahead into love and peace the easier it becomes to understand how vital it is that all those old pains and hurts are pit to rest.
My happiness moment today was laughing at supper as he and Jacob fought over the shredded cheese. It was a simple moment, which often are the best for pure happiness. It is good to embrace the joy in every day moments.
Peace seems to be the theme of my life again. I always think of what I’m doing as seeking peace, or looking for peace. But today I sat with the words of St. Francis make me an instrument of thy peace.
There is a huge difference between wanting peace and being peace. It made me realize that what I’m really wanting is to become an instrument of His peace. I’m not just looking for it, I want to be it.
I’ve been feeling overwhelmed again lately and I think I needed a perspective shift. Reminding myself of what it is I really want and setting my intentions is essential.
I came home this afternoon to see Derek in the yard grazing. I haven’t seen him for a few days (he’s been hanging with his new friend Blindey the blind orphan calf) and I went over to say hi. At first he was causal cool, but after I started rubbing his head in the little spot between his eyes and talking to him he moved in for a full cuddle and kiss
This dude makes me ridiculously happy. It’s such a simple happiness and peace he has. I realized it’s because he just is. He is an instrument of joy and peace. And my little cuddle with him was my happiness moment.
My mom has as her screensaver photos from our big family trip to Italy in 2009. A group of extended family got together to go celebrate the wedding of my cousin. It was so much fun. I had never been before and I think I probably slept about 6 hours in the 10 days we were there – we were so busy eating and seeing everything we possibly could.
I love looking at those old photos. We were all so happy (and thinner and younger) – Dad looked so good in all the photos. It’s nice to go back to a time when there was a lot of joy in the family.
I remember lying on my back floating in the Mediterranean laughing with my cousin. We laughed so hard our stomachs hurt – it was so carefree and easy. I loved that moment.
Trevi fountain 
I have realized recently that we have finally reached a place where our little trio has started to feel secure enough to want to reach out and explore again. As we have discovered that we are finally feeling home and safe and secure, we are starting to talk about spreading our wings. I’m so grateful the kids now have put down roots deep enough that they can grow. I’m grateful I’m getting my balance in a way I probably didn’t have before.
There was a lot of happiness on that family trip. It reminds me how thankful I am for this tribe of people I was fortunate enough to be born into.
We went to church this morning. I realized as I was sitting there that it was the first time in years I had gone to church with another adult (besides special holidays when we go as an extended family). It was so nice to have someone to sit with during service. Little things like that can bring great happiness. In general I find that it is the little things that add up to big happiness. Time spent sharing stories and laughter, kind words and big hugs – all the things that go into making one feel warm and safe and loved. They being happiness.
Tonight Jenna and I had dad’s dessert. Being the northern Ontario guy that he was, maple syrup was important. So it was vanilla ice cream, maple syrup, and peanuts. We added strawberries just because they were there. Yum. It was another happiness moment sitting with her and sharing fun memories of ice cream desserts from the past.
I was in the grocery store with the boy today after we discovered our cupboards were completely bare. We were walking down an aisle when I heard him singing quietly to himself. Suddenly he stopped, glared at me and announced damn you and your ABBA. I can’t believe I’m singing Fernando while I’m out in public. And I laughed and laughed.
Then we got in the car and the playlist was still on ABBA so I put on Fernando. He looked at me and said ok, but we can’t listen to this after we pick up my friend. I told him if that was the case we better make the most of it. So we car danced and laughed so hard I had to pull over so that I could catch my breath. It was an awesome moment of happiness.
I got another one later this evening walking with the girls. It was a beautiful sunset with an amazing full moon coming up while the sun was going down. It finished off with fireworks coming from Bragg Creek. Sometimes I have to pinch myself because I can’t believe that after all the crap we went through, we are in this happy life.
Today was a day to put life back in order. I spent a few hours outside dealing with the jungle that has grown up over the last couple of weeks thanks to all the rain.
It felt good to get out and dig in the dirt a little, but it felt even better to have that solitary time to sit in my heart space and balance out my feelings. I seem to really need a little of that time every day to just come back in tune with myself. It helps me to fill up my cup so I have enough to share.
Derek came back into the yard to visit me. He’s been off pretending to be a horse the last few days and I’ve missed him. Not the little surprises he leaves me in the yard, but I miss his presence. The dogs seemed to have missed him too
I can’t quite explain it, but there’s something about that guy that brings e a lot of happiness. I think in part it’s that he finds the same sort of peace and security in our home that we do.
I asked the kids what their happiness moment today was and they said this:
Which goes down as one of those weird things we’ve done (along with things like baton twirling) that I actually ended up quite enjoying. It was fun to watch the pack of kids (and the big kid) having so much fun.
It was a really nice family weekend spent doing fun, normal, happy things. It makes me appreciate how blessed we are to be here living the life we do. Because what is normal for us here was not normal for us in our other life, and I’ll never take that for granted.
My morning started like this
A happiness moment reminding me how much I love being back home.
We have reached that point in summer where we know the end is in sight but we are in full out denial about it. It’s been such a weird summer – I feel like it should be just starting – for certain we are just starting to relax.
But the relaxing part feels so good. This past week felt like we all finally let go of so much stress and stepped into vacation summer mode. The best mode of all.
We spent another awesome afternoon at the creek. It was cold, but even I went in and did the full dunking and a float on the raft. I love listening to the sounds of happy people laughing in the water. Being in that place (physically and emotionally) brings so much happiness and peace. We are blessed people.
