I am grateful that I have a husband that genuinely cares about my well-being. I am grateful that I have friends that love me for who I am. I am grateful that my family is supportive of whatever I do and that we all aren't afraid to say "I love you" as much as possible.
I am grateful that I live in a country where I can freely express how I feel without fear of punishment. (I can think of a zillion things to complain about as far as our government but I just won't do that today!)
I am grateful that I have a huge variety of choices that I can make in how I choose to spend my money. I can buy organic food. I can buy junk food. I can buy basically anything that my heart desires.
I am grateful that I do not have a serious illness. I am grateful that I do not have some sort of disability.
I am grateful that I live in a town that has relatively clean air (compared to many other places in this country).
I am grateful that I still have spare time (since I'm not working) to do what I wish in. I am grateful that I am not struggling financially because of unemployment (not YET anyway!)
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Happiness for me:
sleeping as much as I want in a comfortable bed in a quiet room.
watching the cherries ripen and turn from green to yellow to orange to red on our cherry tree.
The quiet meditative state that I enter when I water all of our flower pots each night when the sun is going down. The smile that comes across my face as I notice new growth and buds opening. The realization that Larry and I grew most of these things ourselves and they have prospered.
Watching my 5 cats follow me around the yard, purring when I call their names, and leaping on each other. Even their fighting makes me laugh.
Being at my favorite bar, having a few beers. The main enjoyment comes from talking to my favorite people there about anything and everything.
Going grocery shopping and planning what to cook. It makes me happy to cook for myself and for Larry. Even when something that I've never attempted before doesn't turn out right (but still tastes good) I smile.
Sitting in a dark theater (with only a few other people in the audience) watching a movie so enthralling that I have to pinch myself and can only blink when the movie is over and I walk out into the bright sunshine.
Reading a book so engrossing that someone will almost have to knock on my head (because calling my name doesn't work) to get my attention.
Listening to other people when they are feeling down and saying something or nothing depending on what they need. Knowing that I made them feel better, if only for that short time I listened.
Walking while listening to my I-pod, whether it be for exercise or just because I love walking around neighborhoods, music that I love blaring in my ears, noticing house colors, different flowers than grow in my yard, different pets, different sorts of people than in my neighborhood.
Writing down these sorts of entries and having a nice computer on which to do this. It makes me happy to be able to translate onto an electronic media (or onto paper) the images and ideas that spin around inside my head.
