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Monday, January 18, 2010

Happiness 101 Award

I got the Happy Blog award from May All the Seasons Be Sweet to Thee and Curious Cat!
I've had a terrible time narrowing this down to 10. I've thought & thunk until I finally just generalized the whole thing.
So here are 10 of the hundreds of things in which I find happiness:

1. BOOKS

I have to include books because they have given me joy for as long as I can remember. Audio books, Used Books, New books, Hardbacks, Paperbacks, Picture books, Cookbooks. Just Books.

But the reason I like books so much is because of the

2. WORDS

that weave such lovely tones, scenery, feelings, and images and build entire cities and nations in my mind until I think,
so strange I can't recall the actual words but only all that they produced,
and the

3. STORIES
that were told.
If we did not have stories, what would we have, really? Stories create, console, motivate, encourage, inspire, teach, and change us.... even at times they anger, discourage, or shame us. And they teach us about the world, which I feel overwhelmed by the vastness of-- that I could explore, read, see and learn 24/7 and still have more to explore, read, see and learn. Which is one reason I like

4. OTHERS


so much. We can teach each other so many things. We need each other's stories and presence in our lives. "(Wo)Man" was not made to live alone!" And "(wo)man" was made to enjoy


5. EXERCISE


Am I the only one who feels high when exercising? Of course not! Personally, I just don't feel right unless I exercise everyday, preferably outside (unless it's cold because the cold does not make me happy). The fact that I love exercise is quite lucky for me considering how much I like

6. COOKING


but of the cooking, more than anything, and what first drew me to cooking was the

7. FRESH PRODUCE



And all the color that collects on the chopping block and the smells and juices. I especially love fresh spinach. We eat if almost everyday, and even Husband says he can tell when he doesn't eat his spinach now. All those nutrients energize us so we can

8. RESPOND

to need wherever need may be. I believe we are here to serve. I believe not in a fru-fru God who simply blesses and loves us with cupcakes and daisies, but a God who calls us to work, give, grow, learn, obey, seek and respond to calls for need and service...

even if it's just a handwritten note or text message here and there, or simply to produce beauty... or as some would call it

9. ART

whether it be through the lens of camera, the ink of a pen, the stroke of a paintbrush, the click of a mouse, the strings of a violin, or a knife whittling wood, or the hum of a sewing machine-- any and all of these and more because all art is an expression of something otherwise inexpressible,

just like

10. CHILDREN

who are ever-constant reminders of processes, spontaneity, passion, innocence, complexity, hope, individuality and need. Adults hide so often and so well from truth, but children can often keep us in touch with the needs of the whole world.

And two that are so obvious I didn't even list them:

Husband and all ye bloggers!

Because I find ALL of these things and SO MUCH MORE through blogland!


This award is being passed on to:

Birds' Eye View a new friend who writes profound, poetic prose and always awakens me spiritually with her posts.

The Garden Bell another new friend whose quirky, fun, posts always get my brain going in the mornings. I love her energetic, creative blogging style and seeing what craftiness she's up to.

Yada Yadah who teaches me to look at things through different lenses and always offers both humor and spiritual insights in the process.

Ramblings of a Duchess in Waiting my dear friend since high school who uses her blog for thoughts, poetry, rants, and to document what she's up to while traveling the word and working on her PhD in creative writing.

Riverdaze a talented writer and photographer who shares his peaceful, nature-filled walks along the Ohio River banks.

Et Lille Oejeblik who writes about family life in Tel Aviv and often has lovely photos of visits from other places in the world, such as Denmark. I love seeing her photography and flea market finds as well.

Dewin's Blog a friend from our year living at the beach who is working on her photography and life skills simultaneously and intertwines the two for each post.


4-Bushel Farm who always gets me thinking in a different direction and challenges me to improve.

And I just have to give it back to the two ladies who gave it to me because they have been such fun to get to know on the web:

May all the Seasons be Sweet to Thee whose blog leaves me with only positive thoughts, beautiful images, tempting recipes, and creative ideas.

Curious Cat who always makes me laugh-- even in her "down" posts. She has a gift for manipulating words, a witty mind, and a fun personality while retaining the important elements of depth and quality.

Just list ten things that make you happy and pass the award on to ten others!

11 comments:

  1. I'm so excited for you. Thanks for the honor of making this list. I can't wait to go and check the other site out. Hope to get your sillie little giveaway out in the mail tomorrow. Right now, I'm off to work with the plumber on where the faucets go. Thanks so much for stopping by daily. So glad that my blog is being ready by somebody.

    Congrats. Hope to see you in my garden real soon. Probably won't get something up today, but for sure tomorrow.

    Great post here and so much to check out.
    The Garden Bell - Kate

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  2. Wow - thank you, Lupine! This is sure to be a fun list to make...as opposed to a "To do list" or a grocery list. I very much enjoyed reading your list...so much so that I could almost just say "ditto" and be done! ... but I won't :) rather, I will enjoy putting together my own :)...tho chances are it will be very similar...as it seems we think a lot alike!

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  3. Thank you! My first blog award given to me by the person who encouraged me to blog in the first place! You're awesome! I am so excited about checking out the other 9 blogs you listed and of course, passing it on:)

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  4. Congratulations on your award! You do deserve it. I always enjoy popping over to see what you're up to.

    Also, thank you for your generousity. I am honored to be included in this notable group, every one of their blogs are admirable - including yours, of course!

    I'll be thinking/composing my post in the next day or two - I'm fighting a bad cold right now. But I'll sleep well tonight after this! Best wishes to all.

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  5. I love your sources of happiness!
    Wonderful.
    And thank you for your kind words. :D
    xoxo

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  6. AHHHH.....Such beautiful, peaceful, delightful, poetic prose you write.
    Methinks a lovely little book could come of your "Happiness Listings". I love the way each "happiness maker" leads into the next unexpected, simple, oh yes that makes me happy too "happiness maker".....and the photos.....beautiful, Girl-Child.

    P.S. Yes, I am at home today...school holiday, you know. I have just finished cleaning out and organizing all of our spice, seasoning, & baking goods cabinets which of course led to ALL of the food cabinets...and on to the medicine/vitamin cabinets....Such a jumble of stuff....
    Lug, Mug

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  7. Awww...thanks sweetie! Such kind words! I'm glad you think I'm funny - I do try but never sure if anyone understands my humour or not?! I just write what I think is funny to myself most of the time! :)
    Blogging is like a big virtual hug at times eh?! I want to pinch some of your happiness list - stories is a great one! I think stories - the interest and need for them is one of the biggest driving forces in my life...and cooking of course! One day maybe I'll get my dad to guest post on my blog - he always has so much to say about the importance of storytelling...xxx

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  8. Love, love, love, this post and the photographs. The children's hands on the globe?? Wonderful.

    Thank you!

    Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island (aka Miss Rumphius' Island)

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  9. AHHHH!!! This is SOOOO sweet! I don't have a speech prepared or anything! ; )

    Really, thanks, SL, this actually made my day : )

    "Hindsfeet"

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  10. Much appreciated my friend and always my first traveling companion. Just think, if you hadn't almost fallen into that study abroad table those years ago and we hadn't convinced our parents to send us on a summer to Italy; how different might our lives be? I would not be the person I am now or will become without your influence.

    You bring a smile to my face all the time.

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  11. thank you, dear blog friend :)

    i enjoyed reading this a lot. it gives such a great insight to your personality. and i love the way you tied it all together. beautifully written.

    oh, and now i think i might have to get started on some fresh spinach :)

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