Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Thank you Christina, at Soul Aperture, http://soulaperture.blogspot.com/ for your wonderful idea of posting what makes us happy and grateful. There are so many things that make me happy and grateful. As I was writing and thinking about this topic I noticed that most of the things that make me happy are non material items. I love that and want to make sure that I live my life more from my heart and soul, rather than a materialistic aspect. I look forward to reading every one's ideas.
I am happy and grateful for:

this glorious life I have been given to live

God

parents

friends - L, R, M, C, J, G, J, R

memories of my cat, Maya, who passed a few months back

writing poetry

writing short stories

reading

praying

authenticity

honesty/truth

meditating

art

talks on the phone with friends late into the night (haven't done this in a long time, but still love it)

laughing and laughter

listening to music - I'm really loving Natasha Beddingfield, Wah!, Norah Jones, some other Sanskrit cds, Cold Play, the list could go on and on about the music that makes me happy

teaching 5 year old children

children

laughter of children and their carefree spirits and ideas

laughing

soy peppermint mochas and hazelnut lattes

reading on a rainy day

reading in the sunshine

everyday in nature

sitting in the gazebo watching the sunset

hearing bird's song

watching birds fly, soaring free in the blue sky

feeling the breeze on my face

feeling the sun warm my face

sitting in a window when it is a winter day with the sun warming me

hot chocolate

walking barefoot in the grass

feeling the dew on my bare feet

sand on bare feet

the beach

painting

painting a canvas full of vibrant colors

dancing

chai tea

in bookstores, finding a comfy seat, a good book, and good latte

autumn/fall

Sunday afternoons

soup

Rumi poems

the mountains

staying up late

sleeping late

curling up with a good book or my journal in a blanket on a rainy, cool day

walking in nature

Mexican food, any food that is hot, salty, and spicy

peaches, pears, clementines

going to parks and walking the wooded trails, being in nature

sitting in my gazebo at dusk in the summer with candles going, their scent mixing with the scent of nature is yummy

learning new things daily

open to new possibilities and experiences that expand horizons

traveling on the path, the journey of my life, embracing all that comes my way

smiling

sunlight glittering off the green leaves of spring and summer

antique browsing and antique shopping, knowing each object has a history - interesting and intriguing

delving into getting to know myself daily, this is an ongoing process that never ceases

popcorn, chips, and salsa

animals

architecture

old houses

gardens and botanical gardens

the scent Warm Vanilla Sugar from Bath and Body Works

Japanese maple trees, especially in the fall

flowers: especially lilies - bright fiery orange lilies, lotus, jonquils, buttercups, daisies, sunflowers, and jasmine

the scent of lavender

Vincent Van Gogh's paintings

Italian Renaissance art and architecture

apricot jam

the smell of rain

smell of burning leaves in the autumn

stationary, pens, pencils, crayons, that new smell of them all

hearing children read for the first time, stringing slowly that first sentence, connecting it then realizing they have read, so rewarding

manicures and pedicures

horses

optimistic people

jazz music of the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, the flapper era - I think that is a time when a lot of people found their creative nature and let those talents shine - a very carefree bohemian time in history

From making this list of the things that make me happy, I find it is the simple things that do bring me happiness and joy. Once we know our true nature, what makes our heart's sing with happiness and joy, our true self, our true heart and soul, what lies in us that surpasses, our body, mind, emotions, feelings, in finding the essence of who we are, this will allow us to have lasting happiness and ultimate joy.

Love, peace, joy, light, happiness, and truth to all!

12 comments:

kath said...

Beautiful! I am so filled with joy today reading everyone's lists!

christina said...

"curling up with a good book or my journal in a blanket on a rainy, cool day"

this list is full of glory! i learned so much more about you. could this be possible?

i want to tape your list simply next to my desk, it's so inspiring.

thank you, dear friend.
xo

Lori said...

Thank you Kath and Christina! I am loving this, it is so inspiring to see what moves others. Love it! Thanks!

Shell said...

Your list is chock full of beauty, joy and life, Lori.

Lori said...

Thank you Shell. I so enjoyed your list too.

SE'LAH... said...

your list is divine.

i love meditating, watching birds fly, and so many other things in your list.

one love.
coming over from Christina

Lori said...

Thank you Se'Lah. I related to much of your list and loved your photos. I'm happy Christina decided to do this bringing us all together. Yes one love! ;)

Tracy said...

Sweet delights and simple pleasures glore...beautiful post--thank you for sharing! And thank you for visiting me--so nice to meet you. :o)

Lori said...

Thank you Tracy; love that I stumbled upon you and your blog. So nice to meet you too! :)

Elizabeth Halt said...

I love reading these lists because they make me go, "yes, and yes, and yes, and yes .."

the only problem I am finding with the vibrant paint is that I am getting lots of vibrant paint on my carpet, LOL (clearly I should try an easel)

Relyn Lawson said...

Isn't this the loveliest idea? I have had such a wonderful time tooling around blog land visiting all of Christina's lovely friends. Your list was wonderful. I, too, find much to be thankful for. And, I adore the works of Van Gogh.

Lori said...

Thank you Elizabeth and Relyn. Elizabeth, the easel doesn't help me to not get the paint everywhere still. When it get to the end of the canvas with my brush with all that paint on it then it just splatters onto what ever is near by, so when I'm finished painting I always have to take the time to get the paint splatters off of furniture, walls, carpet, etc. LOL! I think that is part of the fun to see how much of a mess I can make with it. LOL!