So, anyway, here are some of the things that make me happy, in no particular order:
- My river. I have this inexplicable soul deep connection to the Hudson River. That probably makes me sound pretty nutty, but it is a visceral truth. The crazier my life gets, the more I need to go sit by the river. It's almost like the tide carries the stress away.
- Scribbling in notebooks and journals. Sometimes it's doodles or lists, sometimes it's pouring my heart out, but writing and drawing have always kept me sane. Right now I'm playing with a bunch of moleskine knockoffs for lists and notes; a 5 year Q&A journal that asks a question for each day of the year, and has space for you to answer for 5 years running; a red moleskine page a day diary; and a couple of sketchbooks. Fun. I'm also using this really nifty web site: IDoneThis, which lets your record what you did each day.
- Bright colors. As many as possible, everywhere possible. That includes art supplies and tie dye. I collect rainbow stuff.
- The internet, and my online friends. (My real life friends, too, of course!)
- Heart shaped rocks.
- My car, the Blue Beast, which has made such a huge difference in my life now that I've overcome my terror of driving (well, it's a work in progress, but I'm doing it, so that's what counts. The fact that I cuss like a sailor to handle my anxiety and have taught Mikro many creative new combinations of swear words (which he does not repeat) and spontaneously composed profane songs... we'll just ignore, shall we?)
- Books. Libraries. My Kindle.
- Art. Making it, viewing it, being surrounded by it.
- My camera. It substitutes for my short term memory, and makes me take the time to really *see* rather than rushing through life.
- Music. I sing all the time. I make up lyrics. I wish desperately to someday take piano and guitar lessons...
- Caffeine. I am not a morning person. Without coffee, I would not even be an afternoon person. I'm also incredibly fond of tea. I'll take either hot or iced, and moderation is not in my vocabulary insofar as my happy wake me up beverages are concerned.
- Homeschooling. I get to watch my son discover the world. All the milestones are not locked away in some building where I'm not welcome, to be witnessed by strangers. I'm there, seeing the magic moments when reading clicked, when numbers and quantities became linked, when moral outrage over some of the lousier bits of history have taken hold, when political interest and activism sparked. I'm here to see it all, to influence him to think and form his own opinions, to question, to explore. I'm here to encourage his passions, find the resources he needs to grow and provide them, and I am privileged to be learning right along with him and enjoying every minute of it.
- Bird watching. It gets us outside, and is more fun than I ever dreamed.
- Mikro. He gets me to look at the world with a child's sense of wonder. He gives the most amazing hugs. His laugh brightens the darkest day. I am so blessed to have this sweet boy in my life.
- Kev. He's my best friend, my soul mate, the person who's known me longest (except my parents & brother) and who stuck with me through all the bad stuff, as well as the good. He can always make me laugh. That's not to say we have a perfect relationship-- we both have major communications issues, but we do have a solid conviction that we belong together, and that it's worth fighting for.
1 comment:
That was lovely!
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