Something beautiful

The composer Franz Schubert was born today in 1797 and he composed this beautiful piece of music called  "Ständchen" and when I listened to it today it made me feel a sense of peace.  Whether it's music or something else, I hope that everyone finds something in their lives that brings great joy and a sense of peace. Everyone deserves something beautiful in their lives, it's the finding of the beauty in life that's the fun part! Happy Tuesday everyone!

Hugs are gifts that keep on giving

"A hug is like a boomerang - you get it back right away."- Bil Keane
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/b/bilkeane106508.html

So that's why I say, when feeling down, hug. :)

A happy birthday to my roommate

My roommate's birthday was yesterday and to that end, I wanted to write about why I have an awesome roommate.

• It's nice to come home to someone who cares that you're there.
• I like how we've had a lot of really funny adventures that we still laugh about. 
• We have inside jokes which cheer us up when days may not be going so well.
• We can have serious conversations and ask each other for advice and even if we disagree we make up in the best way. 
• She's just fun!!

The comfort in being able to edit one's life

"My life needs editing."-Mort Sahl
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/mortsahl102619.html

I really like this quote because I think it's comforting to know that people have the ability to change or improve or otherwise edit  their lives. I like knowing that even when my life is going well, I can make it even better if I want. It's just a matter of  figuring out how to do that and at times, that challenge can be rather fun for me. Even when things may not be so great, it's comforting to know that somehow they can get better and although I may not  always know how to do it right away,  I feel like I do have the ability to find solutions so things can be better. So yes, I'm glad lives can be edited, as long as that editing is for the better!

Hold onto happiness!

"People don't notice whether it's winter or summer when they're happy."-Anton Chekhov
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/antonchekh105581.html

I hold onto happiness because it helps me to see the sunshine in every day. It helps me to see that even if and when I'm going through something difficult, things aren't so bad because I can still find something to be happy about. I hope wherever life takes you, that you can find a lot of joy in it! To that end, I send a little sun to you in this post!

Something that made me really happy today

So, because I love Minions I was (obviously) delighted to find this ingenious bottle bearing the likeness of a Minion and containing, not just shampoo, not just conditioner, not just body wash, but all three! I tried to show some restraint and am rather proud of the fact that I went 24 hours before giving in and buying the thing. I've found that sometimes the simplest things make me feel the happiest and this little bottle made me feel epically good today!

At last

The singer Etta James was born today in 1938 and she's famous for this beautiful song called "At Last." I was thinking about the lyrics of that song and it really is beautiful. I hope that everyone has someone that helps makes their skies more blue and that helps make dreams realities and makes their days happier. I feel like what makes love fun is that you have to search for it sometimes and when at last you find it, it really is a beautiful thing.

Something I hope people never forget

“You’re a work of art. Not everyone will understand you, but the ones who do, will never forget you.” –Unknown (https://www.theodysseyonline.com/13-quotes-live)

That's why I love art so much, because it is all of humanity! 

Joys increased

"Joys divided are increased."- Josiah Gilbert Holland
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes_of_the_day.html

I really liked this quote because I feel like joy feels so much better to me if I can share it with someone else. I just know that when I'm really happy I have to share it just because I like the idea of happiness spreading! After all, happiness is something that's just too good to keep to oneself. It makes me happier knowing that something I did when I'm really happy helped make someone feel that happiness too. Life feels better with more happiness in it! So if you come to a time where you feel joyful, spread it! 

Awesome Boston Women's March!

I went to the Boston Women's March which was a really amazing experience. It was wonderful to see so many women, men, and children united in supporting people and rights that we feel are under threat. It's equally wonderful to know that people are united in supporting these things. I'm really glad that I was part of this march and it made me even more determined to work harder to support people and ensure that their rights are protected. When things seem so difficult, it's lovely to know that one is not alone and to make sure that others feel that they aren't alone and that people care for them and their wellbeing and rights. Helping people in that way makes my soul feel good.  If you marched today, I hope that you'll always be proud of what you did, I'm proud of you and everyone who marches and supports others. Happy Saturday!

Don't Panic!

People (myself included) seem rather panicky today and so, when I saw the clip, it made me laugh and feel better. As a result, I felt I had to share it here. I encourage everyone to keep laughing when you can and most of all, don't panic!

I don't mind taking the rain

"The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."- Dolly Parton
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/d/dolly_parton.html

Whenever I had to go through something difficult in the past, I found it really helpful to think that there was something better to come after whatever difficult thing was happening. I think the difficult things that I might go through do make me feel a bit stronger. Ultimately, I can live in the knowledge that I can take what comes and I can be a better person because I've made it through to the end and I can be happier knowing that. For this reason I love rainbows because they are nature's way of showing how things can better and more beautiful after storms. So if you're going through something difficult, I hope you find the rainbow in it!

Planning can be overrated

"We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us."  E. M. Forster. Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes_of_the_day.html

Don't get me wrong, I do like making plans and even if they don't turn out the way I thought, they do turn out for the best.  So whenever I feel anxious about a decision or a plan I'm making, it makes me feel better to believe that things come out right in the end. it's comforting to have those beliefs because they make me feel brave and with all that in mind, I really believe I can face anything. After all, everything will be all right in the end and if it's not all right it's not yet the end!

Happy Tuesday!!

I hope that everyone had a very happy Tuesday and I wish everyone an even happier Wednesday! Keep smiling, if only because the days seem better with a smile in it!

Flipping bottles!

I saw this clip of an interview of a 2-year-old who likes to flip water bottles and the clip really made me smile. I can't help rooting for the kid because she's really sweet and it's just nice to see how happy she is made by flipping water bottles. I love seeing kids smile. Happy Monday (and Martin Luther King Jr. Day) to everyone!

I have a dream

Martin Luther King Jr. was born today in 1929 and I can't help thinking of his I Have A Dream speech that he gave in 1963. If I could write such a speech I think I'd write something like this.

I dream one day that:

People would love each other more and hate less because ultimately all we have in life is each other.
People would see each other as being of equal worth.
Everyone would have easier access to the education they need to succeed because knowledge is one of the most empowering things to have.
Everyone would have the healthcare they need because I believe everyone has the right to that.
People could see the happiness around them and be happier for it because happiness is one of the best things there is.

I realize these are just dreams now, but I like to think these things could be realities and that's what I'll work towards. I might not see all of these things happen in my lifetime but I believe these things can happen and that hope sustains me and motivates me to continue to work and work harder towards these goals.

Thinking of all the good one can do

Sometimes I feel really comforted thinking about the good things I can do and the nice things people have done for me. I think it's just nice to know that people can be really good to each other. For example, I like the fact that hugging someone has never yet gone out of style and that people still smile at each other on a fairly regular basis. These may seem like small things, but each smile and each hug I receive and give means a lot to me. I love writing these posts as well, just because it feels so good to write something nice and as much of a boost that it gives me I also do it because it makes me happier to think that it might help someone else out there. Plus, I like to keep the idea alive that there really is a lot of good in the world!

Happy Friday from Maggie and the Minions

As you may know very well by now, (if you've been reading this blog for a bit) I have this thing for Minions, so as it's Friday, I thought it was as good a time as any to witness to a Minion Party! Wherever you are, I hope your Friday was a fun one!

Dancing Game

So I saw this clip today of the actress Emma Stone and the comedian Ellen DeGeneres dancing as part of a game called "Last Dance" where two people take turns dancing to whatever dance is described on a screen. Anyway, the video of them dancing made me laugh and I hope it has the same effect on others.  Happy Thursday everybody!

Finding the happy in each day

I heard this song called "Destiny" by Mary J. Blige today I really liked it because it's all about searching for happiness. I hope that everyone can find something to be happy about and each day because the days just seem better that way. For example, today I was able to laugh and sing and for me laughing and singing bring a lot of happiness to my life. Whatever makes you happiest I hope you find it and I believe that it can be found if you look for it.

Happy Tuesday

I hope everyone had a very happy Tuesday and I wish everyone the happiest of Wednesdays. If nothing else, we're a day closer to the weekend! Yay!  Keep smiling!

I can always find a reason to dance

I heard this song today and thought that if ever there's a day for dancing, it's today, just because it's Monday! Plus, I thought the song in the clip below is really fun! Keep on dancing everyone!

A beautiful song courtesy of Elvis

Elvis was born today in 1935 and I love this song that he made famous called "Love Me Tender," just because it's pretty and because I believe love is always tender. Although I do like the way that Elvis sings the song, I also rather like the version that the singer Norah Jones recorded because it really is beautiful. At any rate, it always makes me feel a sense of peace when I hear it.

Just because it really is cold outside....

I really like a good song and dance, as singing and dancing always makes me feel warm and happy inside. So today, I couldn't help thinking of the song "Baby it's Cold Outside" because it really is cold outside, where I am.  I just thought the music video was really sweet and fun. I felt like posting the song here and now just because I want to and I can. Anyway, even if it's snowing where you are, I hope you're warm and safe and that you're with people you love.

Keep dreaming!

"Nothing happens unless first we dream."- Carl Sandburg
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/c/carl_sandburg.html

I am a firm believer in dreaming, 1: because it's fun and 2: because sometimes dreams show me where I might want to go next. Plus, there's a pretty kick ass song about dreaming by Aerosmith and sometimes when I listen to it, I think I can do anything (which is a nice way of spending the 4 minutes and 22 seconds it takes to listen to "Dream On.") Anyway, I think dreams do make great things happen and that's a thought I'll stick with!

You never know how far a smile can go

"Let my soul smile through my heart and my heart smile through my eyes, that I may scatter rich smiles in sad hearts." -Paramahansa Yogananda
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/p/paramahans163486.html

I like to smile because I feel like it's something I can easily do that might help someone feel better. Plus it feels good to smile. So here and now, I send a smile to everyone through this post. Happy Thursday everyone!

Comfy clothes that raise money for research on blindness

Today I saw the video clip below about two brothers that started a clothing line to raise money for research on a medical condition they have called Stargardt disease that causes them to slowly become blind. The brothers  found that they really liked soft clothes  because they felt so good. So they started this clothing line called "Two Blind Brothers" and all the profits from selling the clothes ghost to research on the medical condition they have. I thought their story was so cool because they were doing something so good for other people and for themselves and they didn't let anything get them down!

Courage in unlikely places

"Courage is found in unlikely places."-J. R. R. Tolkien
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jrrtolk109610.htm

I fnd a lot of courage in hugs. When I'm giving or recieving a hug, I feel as though  I am more able to  take what life throws at me because hugs somehow make me feel stronger. I hope that each hug I give helps someone else feel that same courage. Even if I never know whether the hugs I give have that impact on people, I figure it's the thought that counts!

Liking the way we are

"Our entire life - consists ultimately in accepting ourselves as we are."-Jean Anouilh
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes_of_the_day.html

Somehow this quote got me thinking of how when I was young I heard this song on a children's TV show and it stuck with me through the years. It's from the show Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. I realize it's for children but I still like the song to this day because it always made me feel comforted. I still really am glad that people are the way they are. I wouldn't want it any other way. 

Happy New Year!

I wish everyone a New Year that has much joy, laughter and love and most of all, many causes for celebration!