JANUARY

Just dive in!
Axe perfection
New beginnings
Unspoken promises
All new adventures
Renewal
Year to reach goals

I remember with delight when I heard from Ben at Be@Home last February, asking me to do a guest post on their website. As we start a new year filled with promise, I thought you might get a kick out of reading it, or for a few of you, re-reading it! I feel exactly the same way about the subject as I did then, and I don’t expect that to change anytime soon. May 2012 be a worldwide wonderful one for all! Two Thousand Twelve hugs, Margie

Guest Post: Margie’s Take on the Happiness Factor

I recently stumbled upon Margie’s blog, https://latebloomerbuds.wordpress.com and loved it. If I was trying to explain what it is about, I would probably miss the point every time. Here’s her guest post about what she thinks happiness is; it will give you a better sense of her website:

“Being happy is exhausting! Take into consideration the amount of time spent on the subject matter! There is a ton of research we can get our grubby little hands on in any literary form imaginable day or night. I can’t even guesstimate the amount of money spent on it. Everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY has an opinion about this very basic emotion. So why not listen to one more, mine! Got a minute? This one is worth what you are paying for it, so here it is.

Happiness is personal. What makes one person happy doesn’t necessarily make another feel that giddy, “life is wonderful” feeling. This in itself can be pretty frustrating! For example: what do you mean going to the bookstore, grabbing a cup of joe and spending two hours there doesn’t float your boat? What is wrong with you? So much for that idea making you happy. You get my drift? I love word play (it makes me happy) so bear with me! The best way to stay in a state of happiness, despite the disturbing events in the world and the expected ups and downs of life, is to stay true to YOURself. If I asked you right this minute what makes you happy, I would bet my rare compact cassette tape of The Partridge Family signing “C’mon Get Happy”, you could. What do you mean, David Cassidy who? Yeesch!

For me, happiness can mean many things. Again, I am not talking about personal relationships. They can make you over-the-moon happy one minute and in the dumper the next so scratch that.

Personal surroundings make me happy. That comfy chair you sit in at the end of a long day with a cup of tea or a stiff cocktail; the vase of fresh flowers sitting on your table bringing color into your life; the smell of a big pot of soup simmering away on the stove; the view from your favorite window on the world outside; crawling between the sheets at night or during the day for a nap.

However, I must say at this point in my life, being creative is what makes my happiness factor soar. Being one with my camera and viewing the world around me through my zen eyes; writing Haiku poetry like it is my job; spending time with paint, pencils, drawing pads, and artsy fartsy books; taking art classes; writing handwritten missives, decorating the envelope and mailing it off to an unsuspecting recipient; embroidering a cute little bird on a piece of beautiful cloth. Then, being able to share my humble talents through my written words and photography on my blog, ramps up the happiness factor to a crescendo Rachmaninoff would be proud of.

Oh, and my house in the wee hours of the morning when all is silent.”

Hugs,
Margie