Tag: journal

friday’s “secret” – “live in each season”

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“Live in each season as it passes; breath the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit and resign yourself to the influences of each.”  – Henry David Thoreau

So, I haven’t had time to post these past few days; I have been very busy and sick. And at first I was upset that I hadn’t posted. I felt like I was messing up; not doing what I was suppose to be doing. But then I read the quote above and thought that this is yet another “secret” to happiness.

To be content, to live, to attempt to enjoy, each season:  busy, sick, healthy, whatever, as I am in it.  I have been busy these past couple of weeks, which is good. I had a tremendous sense of accomplishment of getting things done. Now I am sick, which is also good.  I have time to recover, time to read, time to watch a couple of movies, and time to post to my blog – some of the things that make me very happy.

So, what do you think? I am going to “live in each season” and enjoy life…

“waxing nostalgic”

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Sunset from my parents’ back porch. Beautiful, isn’t it?

Nostalgia –noun: a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one’s life, to one’s home or homeland, or to one’s family and friends; a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time.

I have spent the past few days at my childhood home (the home of my parents). It is not the house that I grew up in; they have moved three times since I went off to college. But wherever they are is my childhood home.

While here, I have eaten the foods I ate as a child (I absolutely, positively LOVE my mommy’s waffles), watched the old movies that I watched as a child (has anyone seen “Blast from the Past”?), and looked at photographs of days gone by.

It is while looking at those pictures that I particularly waxed nostalgic; longing for the happiness and simplicity of my former life. Which, of course, is ironic considering how I use to wish that I was a grown-up, living away from home; a chronic problem that I have which I talk about here. Am I “wasting my days”, yet again?

The trick is to consider the elements that consisted of my childhood happiness: nutritious meals, wholesome entertainment, a clean home, nature (my mommy’s plants are not artificial), and lots of peace; and try to incorporate these very same elements into my current happy life. Which I will be nostalgic about a few years from now.

What about you? When do you find yourself “waxing nostalgic”? I guess I will be pulling out the waffle iron when I get home. I have the recipe.

a life “brimming with” books

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On Friday, I talked about how pathetic it was to wish for things that I could have and I asked  what you were going to be intentional about doing.

First, I was so overwhelmed and humbled by the response that I received. Thank you so much for reading. And another thank-you to all those who took the time to post replies/comments in the comment section. I get a special thrill of happiness when I see those so keep them coming.

Well, on to the rest of the post…Allow me to share what I did this weekend.

One of the things that I have wished that I could do was spend more time in one of my favorite places, Barnes & Noble, sipping a hot beverage on a cool (or coolish), fall day. That’s what I did. I skimmed the new book, Happier at Home, by Gretchen Rubin. The first book that I read by her, The Happiness Project, is in large part responsible for this blog and quickly became one of my favorite books. Check it out here.

While there I asked whether the Starbucks had apple cider. It is a seasonal thing, usually reserved for the fall and I didn’t know if it was too early. It wasn’t! The barista recommended spiced caramel apple cider. It was sooooooo good. And such a simple pleasure that I WILL be including in my life more often.

I loved my weekend and realized even more the need to add simple pleasures, intentionally, into my life on a regular basis.

“Enjoy the little things, for one day, you may look back and realize they were the big things.” -Robert Brault

enjoy life…