Happiness on earth

It's sad that a national tragedy is what makes us all stop and reflect and review our lives.

Yet, I needed to reflect so I could move on.

So, I took a little time this morning to think what is it that makes things good in my life. Yes, I believe God blesses my life and makes things good. But more than that, what is it that I look forward to and makes my life worth the rest of my day.

So here's what I've come up with. And by no means is it encompassing...

50 Things That Make Me Happy (in no particular order)

1. Finding old photographs I’d forgotten about

2. Baseball games at the stadium complete with stadium food

3. Traveling – pretty much to anywhere

4. Ice cream

5. Fraggle Rock

6. When a kiss is so good that every thought leaves your mind

7. The excitement I always hear when talking to my brother Seth

8. Black & White photography

9. Catching a whiff of a fragrance that takes me back in time

10. Knowing the answer to Final Jeopardy

11. Street festivals

12. My niece and her beautiful smile

13. Reading something so good that it makes me want to give up writing

14. Reading something so good that it makes me want to keep writing

15. Jazz music

16. Being in bed with my whole crew – 2 dogs, a cat and my sweetheart

17. My grandmother’s necklace I love to wear

18. Knowing I’ve seen an estimated 38 of the 50 states

19. The Smithsonians – any of them

20. Conversations with my best friend

21. Hearing a song I haven’t heard for years and still knowing the words

22. Going to the beach in the summers

23. Live music

24. Flannel sheets

25. Being in love

26. Being loved back

27. Knowing I can tell my mom pretty much anything and not worry how she’ll take it.


28. When you go to a restaurant starving and they have bread waiting for you

29. A wonderful home-cooked meal

30. Getting a laugh, a really deep laugh, out of anyone

31. Walking along the oceanfront with the pups and sweetheart

32. When doing something I’ve dreaded turns out to be one of the best experiences of my life

33. My camera

34. Finding a new close friend

35. The thought of visiting all 7 continents

36. Skiing!!!

37. Chilly fall nights with a good warm fire

38. Knowing I am using my college degree in my career

39. When my relatives all get together and it’s insanity at Christmas

40. Oversized, fluffy warm sweatshirts

41. Owning more than one houseplant and keeping them all alive

42. Whitewater rafting with my sweetheart

43. Every moment catching up with old friends

44. Getting mail that isn’t a bill

45. A good crispy dill pickle

46. Writing things at work in green ink so people know it’s me

47. Riding along with my dad and just talking

48. Being moved so much by a song I’m brought to tears

49. The moment I realize that it is Saturday and I can go back to sleep and not have to go into work.

50. Everyone I know who reads this

And so what is it that makes you a little more happy? Can you produce your own 50?